The dearth in manufacturing and operations (M&O) talent in the automotive industry is resulting in the growing acceptance of industry cross-over candidates by automakers, according to recruitment experts Hays.
“With the rapid development of technologies affecting the manufacturing of automobiles, talent demand has surged correspondingly. As consumers demand cost and energy efficiency, on top of self-driving technologies, automakers find themselves in heated rivalry to deliver the next automotive breakthrough in the market. This has led to a surge in demand for personnel in the manufacturing and operations functions in the automotive world, of which many automakers are facing an acute shortage,” says Richard Eardley, Managing Director at Hays Japan.
“While candidates who possess technical skills, experience and relevant qualifications are highly sought after, hiring managers usually find that the ideal automotive M&O candidates usually have a good combination of hard and soft skills. These include strong analytical and communication skills, on top of strong independent reasoning and problem-solving skills/motivation with the capability of thinking proactively.”
Some of the highly sought-after key roles include:
• Vehicle Validation Engineers
• System Engineers
• Mechanical Engineers
The global recruitment firm also urges candidates to take advantage of an employment market that favours them.
“Adroit M&O talent – regardless of their prior experience in the automotive industry – usually have multiple competitive offers presented to them. Other than a premium salary, they are in a good position to request for add-on benefits such as flexible work arrangements, health and medical provisions, pension and housing allowance,” adds Richard.
“However, to maintain their competitive edge, talent in the automotive industry must not rest on their laurels but instead constantly be on the alert for technological advancements in the industry, particularly machine learning.”
“To add, as the day-to-day job requires high amounts of interaction with stakeholders locally and around the globe, bilingualism is a very important skill for M&O talent to succeed in their roles. To address talent shortages, automotive employers have been increasingly receptive of hiring foreign talent, they would be discerning when it comes to their Japanese language abilities and their awareness of the cultural nuances and customs unique to typical Japanese workplaces.”
To read the full Inside Story report of automotive M&O in Japan, please click here.