Industry 4.0 not all about job losses

from MTHULISI SIBANDA in Sun City, South Africa
SUN CITY, (CAJ News) – A TECHNOLOGY expert has allayed fears of job losses in the continent with the advent of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0).

Carel Coetzee, the Chief Executive Officer at NEC XON, was speaking at the recently-concluded seventh summit of the organisation at Sun City in the North West Province of South Africa.

“Industry 4.0 is upon us and will indeed have a big impact,” he said.

He said while it was authentic that millions of jobs would be lost in the process, there were opportunities to create new jobs.

“The job losses are nothing new, as with previous revolutions. A myriad of jobs will be created with the advent of Industry 4.0. It will create millions of jobs that we had never imagined would exists today,” Coetzee said.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), Industry 4.0 – combined with other socio-economic and demographic changes, will transform labour markets in the next five years, leading to a net loss of more than 5 million jobs in 15 major developed and emerging economies.

NEC XON is the combination of XON, a systems integrator providing custom ICT and security services and solutions in Southern Africa since 1996, and NEC Africa, the African business of the global technology giant NEC Corporation.

NEC ha s a footprint in 53 countries in the continent since it began operations 54 years ago.

Hironobu Kurosaki, President and CEO of NEC Europe, disclosed sales had reached US$4 billion over the period.

Kurosaki said the company was prioritising on energy and biometric solutions.

“Our aim is to make Africa safer and smarter through technology. Without security, there can be no economic growth,” Kurosaki said.

– CAJ News