The European defense industry is facing a shortage of specialists. What kind of specialists are they looking for?

Large EU defense companies are increasingly facing the problem of finding specialists with the necessary skills.

Euronews reported on this.

“This is definitely one of the periods with the most intense search for new employees in Leonardo’s history – even more intense than during previous conflicts,” the Italian aerospace and defense company Leonardo with 53,000 employees worldwide stated.

The lack of staff and qualified personnel is a problem not only for the Italian but also for the entire European defense sector.

The European Defense Agency said that the EU is closely monitoring the situation and is actively addressing the shortage of qualified personnel in the defense sector by promoting cooperation between industry, academia, and government to address the shortage of qualified personnel and develop key defense capabilities.

According to the agency’s research, digital specialists (including AI and machine learning) will be in high demand in the bloc’s defense industry in the coming years. Autonomous control engineers, cybersecurity specialists, data and information processing engineers, and software developers will be among the most sought-after professionals in this sector.

Traditional industry segments, such as welding, sheet metal fabrication, and assembly, will also require skilled workers.

Searching for new talent

Defense companies are increasingly competing with large tech companies for valuable talent in the areas of information technology, artificial intelligence, and big data.

Geopolitical factors also play a role in the selection and hiring of personnel. It is impossible for large companies to hire personnel from countries with a very good skill base but outside of political and strategic alliances.

To mitigate the problem, companies invest in developing talent within the company, training young professionals, and offering ongoing mentoring and practical experience programs.

“Various recruitment strategies are being explored, including attracting talented professionals from other EU countries who are willing to relocate to Spain and building local teams in other regions with the necessary competencies to support international projects,” a representative of Indra, whose company employs 57,000 people and has offices in 46 countries, noted.

In 2023, the EU defense industry provided about 581,000 jobs and had a financial turnover of EUR 158.8 billion. This figure is expected to continue to grow as the continent rearms itself to ensure peace and security in an increasingly multipolar world.