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European Union launches project to address skills gap in automotive industry

 

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic—A group of 24 partners from 11 European countries have launched a European Union project to address a skills gap in the automotive industry.

Dubbed DRIVES—development and research on innovative vocational education skills—the project is part of the European "blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills" for the automotive sector, and intends to address development of new skills within the industry. Funded by the EU, it aims to deliver human capital solutions to the automotive supply chain.

In a March 5 statement, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers' Association announced that it had joined the project partners in a conference on the subject held March 1-2 in Ostrava.

In its statement, ETRMA pointed to "massive transformation" within the tire and rubber sector, as well as the entire automotive value chain.

The changes, ETRMA said, include a shift of business model toward mobility as a service, as well as other drivers such as connected and automated driving, advanced materials and decarbonization of transport.

"The European Skills Council for the Automotive Industry had already identified skills gaps as our workforce is aging and is in need both of upskilling and to attract new talents," the statement read.

Also commenting on the project, ETRMA Secretary General Fazilet Cinaralp said that access to the right skills was needed the tire and rubber industry in order to continue being an enabler of innovation throughout the automotive value chain.