What are the new professions in the digital era?
The increasing digitalisation is not only transforming mobility, but also the job profiles that are required. We take a look at what they are and why they are so sought after.
Almost half - 47% - of today’s jobs are going to disappear in the next 25 years. That’s according to a report by Oxford University which shows how technological innovation is leading to a revolution not only in mobility but also in the world of work. But at the same time new opportunities are arising, with digitalisation requiring new job profiles that are essential in tackling the challenges of the digital era and Industry 4.0.
The following are the most widely sought after.
Data scientist
They may be called magicians for their ability to predict things before they happen. But it's actually science rather than magic. Data scientists extract knowledge by analysing mountains of data in order to answer questions and steer company management in decision-making.
Diego Villuendas heads the SEAT Data&Analytics team, a growing team of eight people. “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 perform tests to confirm any improvement hypotheses”.
Data architect and data engineer
In order to gather data effectively you have to know where to look for it. Data architects and data engineers are specialised in 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,” explains Villuendas.
Business translator
Business translators formulate and define questions that need an answer and convey them to data scientists, 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”.
Agile coach
Faced with constant change, businesses have to maximise flexibility in their projects and their ability to adapt in every department.
Agile coaches scrutinise how each group works and help introduce corrections and improvements.
User experience experts
The job of those working in user experience 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.”
User experience experts are essential in all SEAT divisions. In design, for example, so that the interior of a car meets the expectations of future buyers, or in the sales process, where they oversee the complete experience that begins when visiting the dealer and includes social media and aftersales service.
Virtual reality application developer
The automotive industry is increasingly using virtual reality to innovate in its processes. These developers are already involved in the development stage of a new car at SEAT as virtual reality reduces the production time of prototypes by 30%.
Virtual reality can also be used to assess creative and functional aspects, guaranteeing each project’s viability to 90% at a very early stage. With the new SEAT Ibiza, for example, 95,000 3D simulations were carried out.
Software developer
Programmers occupy another key role, able to conceive, develop and implement software systems. SEAT President Luca de Meo confirms this when he says: “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.”
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 for them to adapt to constant changes. That’s why SEAT invested 23 million euros in training in 2018 and expects to increase this amount further in the coming years.
Recruiting the best
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 how the ground rules have changed: “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.”
SEAT is currently looking for 200 new 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 Puppel.
Source: SEAT S.A.