that China is making more efforts to work with universities , “ especially top engineering institutions ”.
It is widely agreed in China that the likes of AI and Big Data should be exploited , but employers are now forced to look at the skills and talent pool on a global scale . The government has launched guidelines on focussing talent development in manufacturing , including integrating industry and education , promoting key adaptable abilities and qualities , and “ establishing a high-level management skills pool ”. While China leans more toward a planned economy than most , government involvement may be a direction for other economies to consider when dealing with the global skills gap .
Although young talent is slowly entering the industry in the US , experienced talent is quickly flowing out . Senior talent is retiring and leaving an institutional knowledge gap . Companies have a responsibility to eliminate this from happening . Developing concrete succession plans to transfer knowledge and skills to the next generation minimises the risks to the retirement process . This applies across the organisation , from the
Jack Coker is a principal consultant at Ducatus Partners , an executive search and leadership consultancy focused in the global energy , infrastructure and process industries . He has significant search experience in both Europe and the Americas , serving a broad range of clients spanning architecture , engineering and construction across the energy , power and civil infrastructure sectors . Jack holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental and Earth Resources Management from Kingston University , London and a Bachelor ’ s degree , with honours , in Geography from the University of Portsmouth .
C-Suite , project leadership to the experienced niche engineers .
Will the rediscovered appetite for infrastructure investment be enough for the US ? Or is it a case of a day late and a dollar short ? Only time will tell , but companies the world over can be sure of one thing : smart workforce planning and talent management is essential to successful project delivery .
61