Nearly 650 people gathered in Saab on Monday to talk about the industry, its future, and digitization. Most speakers stressed the importance of lifelong learning in a time of digitization and the need to collaborate to secure the need for adequate know-how. The digital development in the world is moving faster and Sweden needs to increase the pace to keep up.

Science Park Mjärdevi contributed to the program on the theme of digitization. High school students Selma Rosenbaum, Beata Holmlid, Amanda Axelsson and Liu associate Fredrik Löfgren talked with Science Park Mjärdevi CEO Lena Miranda about how today’s young digital rock stars about their views on the industry and its development.

Selma Rosenbaum, Fredrik Löfgren, Beata Holmlid and Amanda Axelsson.

Selma Rosenbaum, Fredrik Löfgren, Beata Holmlid and Amanda Axelsson.

Among others the Mjärdevi companies WeMatter and Prodelox were present. Among many well-known speakers, Fredrik Heintz from Linköping University held a very appreciated Keynote on the theme of digitalization’s impact on society and work.

In order for the industry to ensure future high competitiveness, we must together solve the major skills challenges for the industry. The industry needs to increase its expertise in the effects of digitization.

During the day, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven spoke about skills supply, Technology College, and Lifelong Learning. Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of SEB, said that developed security systems, lifelong learning and acting promptly and proactively are important areas for a continued competitive industry. He meant that we can move home manufacturing if we keep up with developments and become more active in digitization and more efficient.

“99.8% of the world’s population lives outside Sweden and we are immensely dependent on what is happening beyond our borders. One should pay close attention to what is happening there, said Marcus Wallenberg.

Both Marcus Wallenberg and Ulf Kristersson, the party chairman of Moderaterna, spoke about Asia and China, where development is moving faster and Sweden is likely to slip.

“If we can not educate the kind of skills that are absolutely necessary, then either company will grow abroad or grow with foreign resources,” said Ulf Kristersson.

During the day it became clear that we all are part of the digitization and that the transformation of Swedish industry has been going on for a long time, but digitization is moving faster and most of the changes are ahead of us.

Some news articles from the day (in Swedish):