Half of all current jobs will no longer exist in 25 years, while new professions are gaining ground. Data is the new oil and therefore every company is looking for data scientists, architects and engineers. Attracting talent is a major challenge for businesses, as every sector is competing for the same profiles.
Technological innovation has led to an unprecedented disruption that is transforming the working world. According to a report by Oxford University, 47% of today’s jobs are going to disappear in the next 25 years. But at the same time new opportunities are arising. Digitalisation is setting the pace of the present and the future with new job profiles that are essential so that companies can tackle the challenges of the digital era and Industry 4.0.
The most widely sought after profiles are: data scientist, business translator, agile coach, user experience experts, virtual reality application developer and software developers.
People call data scientist magicians for their ability to predict things before they happen. But it’s actually science instead of magic. They extract knowledge by analysing mountains of data in order to answer questions and steer company management in decision-making. With a PhD in Physics, Diego Villuendas came to SEAT three years ago as a data scientist. Today he heads the Data&Analytics team, which now comprises 8 people and continues to grow. “We monitor the digital platforms to understand how they are used and whether they meet the needs of our users (more than 5 million unique monthly users) and we performs tests to confirm any improvement hypotheses” says Villuendas.
In order to gather data effectively you have to know where to look for it. This is what data architects and data engineers do. They are also familiar with the technical tools for extracting, transporting and storing data. “With all the data they have, every company can improve their business. That’s why no large company lacks data engineers to process this information”, adds Villuendas.
A business translator is the person who conveys the questions that need an answer to the Data Scientist, in order to increase the company’s operating efficiency and revenue. People say that data is the new oil, but Villuendas points out that “you have to know where to look for oil and how to extract, refine and sell it, with all that this involves.”
Faced with constant change, businesses have to maximise flexibility and their ability to adapt in every department. An agile coach scrutinises how each group works and helps introduce corrections and improvements.
The job of an user experience expert is to define and design the set of sensations and experiences felt by a user when connecting with a brand, product or service. For David Redondo, UX Design Leader at SEAT, “this implies not only thinking like users, but also getting them involved in the design and development of the products and services aimed at them. Gone are the days when needs were generated with goods already produced; now brands work together with customers in a process of continuous improvement.” These experts are essential in different divisions at SEAT. In design, for example, so that the interior of a car meets the expectations of future buyers. An in sales, not only do they focus on the driving experience, but on the complete experience that begins when visiting the dealer and includes social media and after sales service.
Industry is increasingly committed to virtual reality to innovate in its processes. The virtual reality application developers play a very important role at SEAT in the development stage of a new car as virtual reality reduces the production time of prototypes by 30% and designers use it to assess creative and functional aspects, guaranteeing 90% viability of each project at a very early stage. With the new SEAT Ibiza, for example, 95,000 3D simulations were carried out.
Software developers are programmers who conceive, develop and implement software systems. “An electric car has 100 million lines of code, more than an F35 fighter jet. We’re going to need a lot of software developers so we must help employees reinvent themselves”, says SEAT President Luca de Meo. It isn’t just a question of attracting talent, but also of retaining the talent currently working for a company by providing the necessary tools so they can adapt to constant changes. In 2018, SEAT invested 23 million euros in training and expects to increase this amount further in upcoming years.
Recruiting the best is a challenge for businesses. Digitalisation has resulted in every business, no matter what the sector, competing for exactly the same professional profiles. Oliwia Puppel, the head of Talent Acquisition at SEAT, explains that the groundrules have changed because of this. “A few years ago, businesses would publish a job offer and select a candidate from a shortlist, but today we have to know where the best people are, approach them directly and make them a value proposal so they will join the company”, elaborates Oliwia.
SEAT is now looking for 200 professionals for its digitalisation process and its new software development centre.
Different digital profiles but with a common denominator, because “technology is evolving so quickly, that what today is a very sought after profile may not be in such high demand tomorrow. That’s why we’re especially looking for forward thinkers; people who question the status quo, who are not afraid of making mistakes, who learn from failures, who are creative and team players” says the head of Talent Acquisition
