Competences Mapping as a Tool to increase Sustainability of Manufacturing Enterprises

Craftsman skills are often necessary in several industrial productions to realize complex processes, which are not feasible or convenient to be made by full automation. Such skills are also required, in particular in companies manufacturing luxury goods, to make unique products of high quality. Experienced workers play an important role in these cases. Therefore, it is strategic for enterprises to be aware of which competences are required for each process and of how it is possible to educate and train workers to acquire them. A mapping of the competences of workers at the leather cutting department of a famous fashion enterprise has been carried out using a method that is described in this paper. This methodology can be applied to any production area to identify the skills needed to perform the tasks necessary for the product fabrication. Knowledge deriving from the mapping is fundamental to increase the efficiency of the production, to manage human resources and to assess the contribution of craftsmanship in the industrial manufacturing, therefore to improve the product and the company sustainability.