Like many sectors, the industrial sector faces challenges in attracting and retaining talent. Aurelien Le Sant, CTO for industrial automation at Schneider Electric, looks at how increased automation and digitisation are key to solving these challenges.
In 2024, Schneider Electric – in partnership with global technology research firm Omdia – published The future of work in industry report.
In the report more than half of industrial companies (52%) surveyed considered talent acquisition and retention to be a top challenge, with many companies experiencing a talent drought of skilled manufacturing and industry professionals.
A significant challenge is an ageing workforce, particularly in regions such as Japan, Europe and the US. Employees aged 55 and over now make up 25-40% of their respective workforces.
What’s more, more than half of industrial operations, plant and maintenance managers consider talent acquisition a key challenge.
Solving the industrial talent acquisition and retention challenge...