STAFF COMPETENCE AND TRAINING FOR DIGITAL INDUSTRY

Abstract

The development of a digital economy based on effective work with big data, intel-ligent digital platforms, artificial intelligence, robotics technology and 3D printing requires the formation and improvement the level of employees’ competence as a set of new high-quality competencies. In recent years, the term “digital competence” has become a key one in discus-sions about what skills and knowledge are needed in a modern knowledge society. The term “Digital competency” has various interpretations in academic literature, in the practice of teaching, training and certification. In this article, we analyze the concept of “digital compe-tence” and related terms as well as possible ways of its formation. Moreover, we consider an example of the “digital competence” formation that has developed at the SPbPU Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Center of NTI. It is important to note that we distinguish the con-cepts of “digital competence” and “digital literacy”. These concepts are not identical, but “digi-tal competency” concept is considered as a key. In this article, we prove that the most suitable approach to training staff for the digital economy is formation of fundamental knowledge as well as developing applied skills. Due to digital platforms, the applied skills realizes funda-mental knowledge through solving practical problems and challenges in the global high-tech market of products and services.