The new mobility and the rapid changes in its development, such as the digitisation of processes and infrastructures, have fully affected the world of work. Like a runaway train, change has arrived and is modifying traditional professions that seemed 'untouchable' to include new profiles and skills seemingly removed from the world of mobility and technology.
The most significant revolution, then, is the one that is impacting education. In order to have the professional profile in demand by an ever-changing market, the classical academic system is increasingly complemented by targeted and short master's and training courses, which are also born out of the active collaboration between companies and multinational labour corporations.
A training 'at the service' of the market, Salvatore Basile, Operation Manager of Experis Italia (ManpowerGroup) explains to Infra Journal, recording this new megatrend that starts with training, passes through skills and lands in new professional figures: from experts in critical digital transformations, to sensor specialists, from managers of circular economy factories, to MaaS (Mobility as a Service) managers, up to developers of digital simulators for the automotive industry. According to the Predictive Study on the Profiles and Skills of the Future carried out by ManpowerGroup and EY, more than 80 per cent of professions will change between now and 2030.
How is the new mobility (smart and electric) changing the world of work?
“In the mobility landscape, figures such as those related to vehicle engineering remain important, but now the emergence of a whole range of services related to digital technologies has transformed the context. Our cars are more like mobile phones and so we need to approach a whole range of digital and technological systems that were not there before. The platforms will be updated as with modern mobile phones, over-the-air. But this brings with it a whole host of cloud and cybersecurity issues. A flood of data will be shared, disseminated and analysed, and this will have to be done securely. These are, among other things, constantly updated platforms that are bringing new skills all in the field of IT and ICT (Information and Communications Technology) to the fore”.
Is this sidelining some classical professional figures?
“It is definitely transforming them. If we think of the mechanical engineer, we understand that his knowledge base is still useful, but that it must be supplemented with other skills. Otherwise, it will be less relevant to the market, which at this time needs people who know how to work on the electrical side and the transformation of the infrastructure that revolve around this world.”
Are these new competences defined?
“Actually, the sector is so mobile that the needs of the labour market are changing and will change very quickly. Today it is electric, but tomorrow fuel cells could also take hold on the infrastructure front to serve the new mobility, and this could shift the demand in the labour market more towards hydrogen experts as well as its applications in the service of mobility.”
So which sectors are most involved in recruitment at the moment?
“The electrical sector but also the cybersecurity, digital and technology sectors. Areas towards which there is a huge supply gap: 72% of Italian companies struggle to find trained workers. People are needed in automation, software engineering and artificial intelligence, a field that will employ as many as 97 million people in a few years' time.”
Is the academic world not evolving fast enough? Solutions?
“It certainly is more static than the rapidly changing market. For this, collaborations are being sought with the academic world, but above all with industry. Training is becoming tailor-made and we, for example, as an active player have set up numerous collaborations with large mobility companies to create targeted masters and training courses that can meet demand and thus allow supply and demand to meet each other.”
Any examples?
“We generally select a profile from a solid base, such as that of an electrical engineer and then train them on specific elements. For example, we have set up training courses in cooperation with all the biggest companies in the automotive sector. There are three areas in which we operate: upskilling and reskilling company technical training, talent bootcamps and junior programmes aimed at job placement, and Master's programmes in Higher Education.”
Are there professional figures far removed from the world of mobility that are in demand today?
“Certainly those figures who can help decipher the vehicle's travel experience and related services are gaining new importance and involvement. A professionalism that brings together marketing, but also the psychological expertise of a certain type of travel experience and the sociological impact of the experience.”