In the priority program “Competence Management in the Context of Data-Based Assistance Systems,” the DigitalStress working group at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is investigating how skills for emerging job profiles can be developed in a targeted manner and how organizational change processes must be designed so that human-centered workplace design with assistance systems relieves employees and makes work processes more productive and flexible. In the following, we present one of our research transfer projects on this topic.

New job roles—new competency requirements

Assistance systems are changing not only individual processes, but entire role profiles. This is demonstrated by our research project with Mittweida University of Applied Sciences and BTU Cottbus–Senftenberg in the context of welding automation.

The increasing prevalence of easily programmable welding robots is leading to fundamental changes in work processes and the associated skill requirements in small-batch production. Based on a qualitative exploratory research design, a role-based competency model was developed that shows a clear shift from sensorimotor to cognitive and communicative skills.

These results can be used to derive concrete upskilling strategies and didactic principles for further training. At the same time, it becomes clear that—despite automation—sensory-motor support remains necessary, especially under the economic conditions of small-batch production.

The results are documented in detail in:

Sauer, Ganßauge & Zähr (2025):
Kompetenzen für die menschzentrierte Robotik in der Kleinserienfertigung. ZWF – Zeitschrift für wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb.