Sourcing the Right Automotive Talent in IT
The acceleration of automation, globalization and changing workforce demographics are increasing the demand for IT skills that bring together technology, people and relevant knowledge within the automotive industry.
Sourcing the right talent can be challenging, which is why we put together this comprehensive guide to walk you through some of the best methods for organizations in the automotive industry to source top automotive IT talent.
AUTOMAKERS REQUIRE SKILLED WORKERS FOR:
OTA Updates: OTA updates allow vehicles to receive software updates and new features remotely, without needing to visit a service center. This includes everything from bug fixes to entirely new functionalities.
OTA updates enhance the user experience by keeping vehicle software up-to-date, improving performance, and adding new capabilities without inconvenience.
Connected Vehicle Telematics and Infotainment: Connected vehicles use internet connectivity to share data with other systems, enhancing features like navigation, vehicle diagnostics, and driver assistance. Telematics combines telecommunications and informatics to provide real-time tracking and monitoring, while infotainment systems offer multimedia features like music, navigation, and internet access.
These technologies provide better control, improved safety, and a more engaging driving experience, making vehicles smarter and more responsive to drivers’ needs.
Electric Vehicles and Enterprise Connectivity: This refers to the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into broader enterprise systems, ensuring that they communicate effectively with corporate networks and data centers for things like fleet management and energy optimization.
As businesses adopt EVs, seamless connectivity is crucial for maximizing efficiency, reducing operational costs, and supporting sustainable practices.
Data Warehouse Migration: This involves moving data from legacy systems to modern data warehouses, which are optimized for storage, analysis, and processing of large volumes of data.
Migrating to advanced data warehouses improves data accessibility, speeds up analytics, and supports better decision-making by consolidating data into a more powerful and flexible environment.
Cloud Migration: Cloud migration is the process of moving digital business operations into the cloud. This could include transferring data, applications, and other business elements to a cloud environment.
Cloud migration provides benefits like scalability, cost savings, and increased flexibility, allowing businesses to access their data and applications from anywhere while leveraging the latest cloud technologies.
Digital Transformation: Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers.
Embracing digital transformation helps businesses stay competitive by improving efficiency, enhancing customer experiences, and opening up new revenue streams through innovative technologies.
Overcome the Automotive Tech Talent Gap
It’s no secret that there is a tech talent shortage in the automotive industry. This is a significant organizational challenge, with a need for experienced talent that possess the right communication skills as well as understand complex computer systems.
Older automotive workers are retiring at a faster rate than younger workers are pursuing automotive jobs. The unprecedented evolution of vehicle technology has also created a significant skills gap for jobs that require deep technical skills and proficiencies.
Luckily, employers can strategize to attract and retain some of the top automotive IT talent. Whether it’s cloud migration, OTA updates, or candidates proficient in data warehouse migration, the right recruiting strategy will set your organization apart from the rest, allowing you to recruit the best talent for your automotive projects.
Quantifying the Automotive IT Talent Shortage
The automotive technician shortage is a growing issue, and it was highlighted by TechForce Foundation’s 2022 report.
The report found a 20% decrease in graduates from automotive programs since 2020, with 11.8% dropping in just one year.
Despite fewer graduates, the demand for technicians and skilled automotive IT workers continues to grow, with projections suggesting the U.S. will require over four times more technicians than graduates in five years.
This translates to a need for over 100,000 new technicians annually until 2026, which seems unlikely to be fulfilled. It’s for this reason that the right hiring strategy to recruit top automotive talent is important.
Skills to Look for When Hiring Top Automotive Tech Talent
When hiring an automotive IT professional or technician, there are a number of skills to look for to ensure your potential hire is vetted and able to work on your projects.
Procom specializes in finding top automotive talent and recommends benefiting from our RightFit™ Recruitment Process, access to market rate intelligence as well as our global talent pool to recruit automotive talent with a hyper-specific skillset.
In addition, we’ve compiled a comprehensive skills list you can use when choosing the right automotive talent for your organization.
Diagnostic Skills:
Auto technicians require strong diagnostic abilities to accurately identify vehicle issues. Research by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) notes that successful auto technicians regularly use advanced diagnostic tools, including on-board diagnostics (OBD) scanners and oscilloscopes, to interpret fault codes and troubleshoot complex problems in automotive systems.
This skill is essential as the automotive repair industry increasingly relies on digital diagnostic equipment, with the global automotive diagnostics market projected to reach USD 52.9 billion by 2027, driven by the growing complexity of modern vehicles.
Mechanical Skills:
Auto technicians must possess a comprehensive understanding of mechanical systems such as engines, transmissions, brakes, and suspensions. Today, auto technicians report using a combination of hand and power tools daily to perform repairs and replacements on these systems. Proficiency in mechanical skills is also more important than ever, as the repair and maintenance of mechanical systems accounts for most of all auto repair services. For this reason, mechanical skills are still as essential as ever to the auto industry.
Electrical Skills:
With the increasing prevalence of electric and hybrid vehicles, electrical skills are becoming essential for auto technicians. Many auto shops experience a shortage of technicians qualified to handle electrical diagnostics and repairs. Technicians must be adept at diagnosing and repairing vehicle electrical systems, including batteries, alternators, and starters, and must be capable of reading wiring diagrams and utilizing specialized diagnostic tools.
Computer Skills:
Modern vehicles increasingly rely on computer systems, making computer skills crucial for auto technicians. A report by Frost & Sullivan highlighted that by 2025, nearly 90% of new cars will feature advanced computer systems requiring specialized diagnostic software for maintenance. Auto technicians must be able to use diagnostic software to identify and address vehicle problems, with a comprehensive understanding in computer-based diagnostics, which is becoming a staple in the auto industry. The integration of advanced vehicle diagnostics software is set to drive the automotive software market to an estimated USD 9.7 billion within the next five years.
Acumen Research and Consulting explains: “The Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything Market Size was estimated at USD 0.7 Billion in 2022 and is predicted to reach USD 9.7 Billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 29.7% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2032.”
Hiring Tips to Attract and Retain Top Automotive IT Talent
Let’s discuss how to bridge the talent gap within the automotive industry. Finding skilled automotive IT professionals can be simplified by implementing a few best practices, and Procom is here to help as your talent partner.
With access to a pool of thousands of thoroughly vetted candidates and over 45 years of industry experience, we help organizations across North America source the top automotive IT talent.
We’ve also compiled a short list below to help you with your automotive hiring needs:
Leverage Specialized Talent Partners: Work with recruitment agencies that specialize in automotive IT talent, like Procom, to streamline the hiring process and access a broader talent pool.
Enhance Employer Branding: Promote your company as a tech-forward, innovative workplace to attract top talent who are looking for opportunities to work with cutting-edge automotive technologies.
Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits: Address the talent gap by providing attractive salary packages, benefits, and clear career progression paths to stand out from competitors.
Invest in Training and Development: Create training programs, apprenticeships, and continuous learning opportunities to develop new hires and keep existing talent up-to-date with the latest tech advancements.
Broaden Your Search Criteria: Expand your candidate pool by considering applicants with transferable skills from other industries, or those who may not have traditional automotive IT backgrounds but show potential through certifications or relevant experience.
If your organization is ready to leverage the help of a specialized talent partner, fill out Procom’s form below and a recruitment expert will be in touch.
