IMPACT OF DIGITALISATION ON JOB

for machine operators the anticipated impact of digitalisation as well as the need for relevant training is held to be high by the respondents.

DIGITAL TRAINING NEEDS FOR JOB TYPE / ROLE

types considered. A team leader needs to have in-depth knowledge and practical experience in operating cleaning machines and other equipment, some of which are highly specialized. Given these tasks it may not be surprising that digitalisation is considered to have the greatest impact here, and that upskilling is the most needed among all roles. Digital development of both planning and communication tools as well as machines and equipment will accelerate in the cleaning sector, and team leaders will need the appropriate help to handle the skills transition in the near future.

In relative terms, the smallest impact of digitalisation is expected on cleaning agents and their job profiles. Still, the respondents expect a relatively high need for education and training in digital skills for this job type. Machine operators are specialists among the blue collar workforce of the cleaning industry. For this job profile digital skills likewise play a crucial role, e.g., in communication (both internal and with clients), as well as for the organization of working routines, schedules and time-management. In addition to this, machine operators need competences to handle cleaning devices which are expected to become more and more complex in the nearer future (e.g., robotics). Therefore, also

The skills for the future Digitalisation is expected to change working conditions in the cleaning sector, to redefine job profiles and to raise demands on the skills and competences of employees. It has become clear that digital skills will play a greater role in the sector in the future and that companies need to be prepared for the demands that they face. One demand is certainly to adjust the vocational training and education provisions to the future needs that have been identified. This begs the question, though, if only digital skills themselves are of relevance in the future, or if digitalisation may also have an impact on and thus necessitate amendments to the VET provisions for other skills sets. In order to provide an answer to this question, the SK-Clean Expert Group pre-defined four skill sets that are considered relevant for the cleaning sector: Soft skills; Technical skills; Commercial skills; Digital skills. The relatively low relevance of digital skills should not lead to false assumptions. If compared to previous results of the survey it remains clear that from management via team leaders to cleaning agents, all levels of employees require some level of digital knowledge. Managers need to be able to identify and manage digital solutions which maximise efficiency; they need to be up to date about the latest technological developments to help streamline business processes. Job profiles on the administrative and associated skills level will change. In particular, basic tasks will be automatised, while new, more complex tasks will emerge. Digitalisation will generate large amounts of relevant data, and cleaning companies need administrators that are able to recognise and process this data in the best way.

RELEVANCE OF THE SKILL-CLUSTERS

While the internal rankings within each skill set speak for