The ecological transition is having a significant impact on industrial trades and skills. To meet environmental challenges, companies need to adapt their practices and production processes.
But this evolution cannot take place without massive investment in training and the transmission of new skills to their employees.
In June 2022, OPCO 2i'sObservatoire Compétences Industries published a study of over 230 trades and their 8,000 skills.
"Between now and 2025, certain professions will mutate or increase in volume, while others will need to acquire additional skills without inducing any profound changes in the way they do business".
As an industrial company, how can you prepare yourself (and your employees!) for this transformation?
Here is the ranking of priority actions concerning the challenges of ecological transition, according to the Observatoire Compétences Industries study.
Source: Observatoire Compétences Industrie survey June 2022
To ensure the long-term viability of their business, companies in the industrial sector must, in part, rethink their processes and adapt them to the most stringent environmental standards. This often involves adopting cleaner technologies, reducing energy and raw material consumption, and implementing more efficient and responsible production practices.
By investing in more modern and efficient equipment, companies can not only reduce their environmental footprint, but also improve their productivity and competitiveness in the marketplace. This can be achieved by adopting cutting-edge technologies such as automated production systems, energy-efficient machinery and advanced recycling equipment.
With these developments also comes the need to train employees in these new processes and equipment: new operating procedures, new quality and safety standards. It will become imperative to equip ourselves with tools that enable us to update operating procedures rapidly, and to train effectively in new methods to avoid any impact on operational efficiency.
According to the OPCO 2i study, this area of action ranks second in terms of priority actions for industrial companies.
It is essential that employees understand the scale of these challenges, so that they can contribute effectively to this transformation and the changes it implies for their jobs. This includes awareness of the environmental impact of their professional activities, as well as an understanding of the solutions and innovations available to reduce this impact.
To enable employees to contribute effectively to the green transition, it is essential to provide them with the necessary training and resources. This can include training programs on sustainable practices, resource efficiency, waste management and environmental awareness. It is also important to provide them with tools and technologies that facilitate the implementation of these practices.
The findings of the study conducted by L'Observatoire Compétences Industries are simple. Contrary to what we might imagine, the ecological transition will create few new jobs in industry. However, it will become crucial to reinforce and pass on existing skills in certain areas. (QHSE, mastery of environmental standards, design, mastery of materials...)
In particular, the OPCO 2I study identifies 5 job families that will be most impacted by the ecological transition. The number of skills to be strengthened in these trades appears to be higher (between 40% and 70% of skills).
This is the case for Purchasing, Engineering/R&D, Logistics/Waste/Safety/Quality/Environment, Business Engineering and Methods and Industrialization.
7 out of 10 companies surveyed have identified little or no training needs associated with the ecological transition.
In addition to external training, it will be crucial for manufacturers to establish a culture of knowledge sharing within the company.
Indeed, the skills required for the ecological transition may already exist within the company. In most of the business families identified, there are already in-house experts who possess the skills that need to be reinforced for the rest of the team.
So it's imperative to try and capitalize on this existing knowledge!
By investing in the skills development of their employees, companies in the industry can not only respond to current environmental challenges, but also anticipate future trends and position themselves as leaders in sustainable industry.
This transition to more environmentally-friendly practices also offers numerous opportunities for innovation and growth. By rethinking their production processes, adopting clean technologies and investing in sustainable solutions, companies can not only reduce their environmental footprint, but also improve their operational efficiency and create value for their stakeholders.
For the future of the industry, it is therefore crucial to continue our efforts to train and develop employee skills, in order to best support this ecological transition.
"With Komin, we have documented our operating procedures 10x faster than with paper"
- J. Cerruti (Methods & Industrialization Manager)
