Perspektiven industrieller Instandhaltungsarbeit

The question about the development prospects for skilled industrial workers in the current debate on Industry 4.0 and digitalisation is the subject of controversial discussion. One of the remaining domains of qualified specialist work in the industrial context is maintenance work. Some researchers argue that the maintenance function, termed as “smart maintenance” and part of the “smart factory” is of growing importance, and there are prognoses that there will be positive effects on the quality of work and the qualifications of the employees. However, there are also indications of contrary developments. In this article, based on an empirical case study on the pilot application of a digital assistance system in the maintenance department of a large company, the authors examine its ambivalent work and qualification effects. On the one hand, specialist maintenance work is still characterised by considerable degrees of freedom in work planning and execution based on professional training and implicit knowledge. On the other hand, de-qualification effects are a realistic threat scenario when using “big data” and assistance systems, at least in perspective. If this path were to be pursued, resistance on the part of the skilled maintenance workers should be expected.