Project description
In a post-COVID outbreak scenario manufacturing SMEs need to become more capable to rapidly shift to flexible and resilient production paradigms. This involves organizations to change as a whole. Technology experts from RTOs and universities can enable such transformation by providing consultancy on technology integration problems. Intermediaries such as industry clusters and associations, Digital Innovation Hubs, and Competence Centres are called to act as facilitator, enabling the transfer of know-how between RTOs and SMEs, and the creation of more value-adding digital transformation support programs to SMEs.
Flexman project will create and deliver a transformational program for manufacturing SMEs with a demand to swiftly integrate tailored technology solutions for flexible and resilient manufacturing, such as applied AI for predictive maintenance, production re-scheduling, optimization of operations in the supply chain.
The first six months of year 1 project will be devoted to design the profile of the program and create the needed training contents. The creation of the program will be driven by market demand and will move from assessment phases aimed at checking current skill gap and capacity of the involved manufacturing SMEs in pursuing the transformation. This will be done with trusted intermediaries integrated in the project, such as industry associations and clusters, Competence Centres, DIHs.
After the assessment, customized learning paths will be activated and delivered to SMEs, to skill up personnel on both technical and transformation management topics. Selected staff will also take part in an experiential learning phase consisting in the co-development of tailored AI industrial application demonstrators with the support of technologists and experts from university and RTO acting as consultants.
SMES will followed the Flexman transformation training program the second part of the year.
In year 2, the Flexman program will be scaled up and the program will be delivered again (second edition) to additional companies across the four hubs.
