Uncertainty is one of the most defining traits of our present and future. However, this time of rapid transformation we live in is also allowing us to reinforce new certainties. Among them, we now know that surviving in today’s fast-paced environment requires companies to develop the ability to adapt, learn and be flexible in a way that would have been unthinkable years ago.
Our educational systems are not yet capable, at least in part, of providing the knowledge and tools necessary to achieve what should be two major objectives: on the one hand, to ensure that the next generations develop professional profiles that match the demand that governs and will govern a labor market defined by an already indisputable new industrial revolution; on the other, to enable seniors to retrain and acquire new skills that will prevent them from being left behind.
Companies, however, are already absolutely convinced that it is fundamental and strategic to have the so-called “STEM talent” (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): professionals with a technological profile, as well as skills and abilities in the field of mathematics and engineering, which are and will be crucial in the growth and expansion of companies.
Let’s talk about figures. In terms of opportunity, by 2025, 400,000 jobs will need to be filled in Spain that will require such candidates. But if we consider that, according to the results of the IV ‘Employability and Digital Talent 2021’ study, prepared by the VASS Foundation and the Autonomous University of Madrid, 7,000 positions in the ICT services sector were vacant last year alone due to a lack of skills. It is more than evident that we have a severe discrepancy problem between the professionals we need and will need and the training of those we have today. In addition, there is another gender-related deficit: only one in six ICT specialists and one in three graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are women.
And if we as companies have this so clear, why should we wait for this deficit to be solved institutionally? If the last few years have taught us anything, it is that we must be an active part of the solution. The changes to come should not make us forget our role as activists, which should give meaning to our organizations’ purpose.
In this content, ATREVIA has launched a pioneering Employer Branding 5.0 methodology directed at Human Resources and Digital Transformation and Innovation managers, which aims to help Spanish companies attract STEM talent, allowing them to cover the ever-increasing demand for technological profiles successfully. The objective is to build a platform where companies, professionals, and students seeking to expand their knowledge in this field will converge. All members of this community will be able to connect with other individuals and organizations and have access to more professional and career development opportunities.
This initiative responds to an interest shared by all companies: the commitment to social development and economic growth. And this inevitably involves applying all of the resources at our disposal to help reduce this gap. A gap that, under current conditions, is bound to widen in the future: according to several studies, such as the Randstad study, 28% of jobs in the coming years will be technology-related, compared to 16% today.
It is, therefore, necessary and urgent to build bridges and generate meeting points at all levels to ensure a better match between what organizations, candidates, and the market itself are looking for. It is a matter of agreeing upon the interests of each party and working in the same direction because this is the only way that leads us to a successful future for businesses, the economy, and society as a whole.
The emerging world of the 21st century is uncertain, challenging, competitive, and demanding. This is why it requires coordinated responses (public-private alliances) and an active, proactive society with initiative in which companies are not passive actors but capable of taking a step forward to enrich and contribute to the society in which they operate.
In addition, expanding professional options and providing new opportunities in the labor market is also an excellent way of retaining talent and an effective measure to prevent the unfortunate “brain drain.” In conclusion, we can say that educating our citizens in new tools and technical knowledge offers a triple benefit: for citizens, who are strengthened and empowered; for companies, which can count on a pool of professional experts; and finally, for the country, which acquires a more significant role in the new geopolitics and world economy.
