Transforming Industrial Park Models in the Industry 4.0 Era Towards Sustainable Development: Enhancing Workforce Quality through the Learning Factory Model

Abstract

This study examines the transformation of Vietnam’s industrial parks in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) towards sustainable development, aiming to identify the gap between the new requirements of these industrial parks and the current capabilities of the workforce, and to propose the implementation of a "Learning Factory" training model to enhance worker skills. The research employs an integrative literature review to synthesize information from relevant studies, reports, and policies, and to analyze the current state of workforce skills in industrial parks. The results indicate that Vietnam’s industrial parks are gradually shifting towards smart and eco-industrial models and accelerating the adoption of digital technologies in line with sustainable development trends. However, most enterprises have not equipped their workers with the necessary digital skills; the majority of workers have limited skills and face the risk of being replaced by automation. To bridge this skills gap, the study proposes the implementation of the "Learning Factory" model – a simulated production environment that allows workers to practice real-world skills. This innovative training approach is regarded as a key to enabling industrial parks to undergo a successful digital transformation while developing a high-quality workforce, highlighting the need for policy support and multi-stakeholder collaboration in building a lifelong learning ecosystem
for workers.