The future of recruiting in the air mobility sector

What is happening in air mobility?

“Investments for the future of air mobility have increased by 25% in the past year. They mostly went into two different branches: advanced air mobility and sustainability. Of the 14 billion invested in the future of air mobility, 50% has gone towards eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) startups, while the other 50% has gone into sustainable technology and, specifically, into conventional takeoff and landing aircraft that could be powered by battery electric, hybrid and hydrogen propulsion systems. There are efforts now to achieve rapid improvements in new propulsion systems, and also to launch supersonic and hypersonic flight.

Despite all the new investments, research shows that, in the aerospace industry,  companies are losing staff at a rate 6% higher compared to other industries, and they are also failing at recruiting new talents. It is estimated that around 50.000 positions are not filled at the moment.” [source: ainonline.com]

WHY? WHAT SHOULD COMPANIES DO? Talent retention, talent acquisition

Talent retention is always a “hot topic”, especially for companies operating in the aerospace industry and especially after the pandemic. It is a matter of the company’s culture. In the past, even though the rate of staff loss was still significant, the ability to acquire new staff was still sufficient to balance the needs.  Today, the situation has completely changed, and most companies suffer from a systematic lack in terms of talent retention strategies but also in terms of talent acquisition capabilities. 

The first problem (talent retention) can be solved by defining and implementing talent retention strategies that are congruent with the new paradigms that govern these delicate mechanisms that lead people (talents) to feel motivated and rewarded for what they do for the company, and it is not merely a matter of money.  

Talent acquisition (the second problem) is a slightly more complex topic. There are in fact three factors to consider:

The first is related to the domain; the air mobility sector requires not only typical talents from the aerospace sector but also, and especially, talents that come from other sectors, just think of the use of electric motors, battery development, and control software not only related to the aircraft. 

The second flows from the first. Searching for talent in a different industry than usual, requires specific skills but more importantly, experience. Which companies to target, which profiles, etc.

The third is inherent in the acquisition process itself and is the most delicate and complex element. Having identified the target companies and, within the companies, the suitable profiles, how to acquire them? Acquiring talent is not just a matter of making a good proposal; this paradigm is patently outdated and no longer valid!

The new normal

Well-being in the company and the possibility of working in agile and flexible contexts are becoming predominant. The job market is in the hands of the candidates. In the race for the best talents, companies are forced to make offers with a lot of flexibility, innovation within the company, and learning opportunities on the job. If we look at the millennial generation, the one from which we predominantly draw in terms of new talent, it attaches more importance to finding themselves in the values and identity of the company rather than giving importance to an economically stable job.

It is clear that companies in this industry must quickly change their strategy in terms of talent retention and talent acquisition.

How can we help you?

Sky Hunters is a Kilpatrick Group company that combines deep knowledge in the aerospace industry with 25 years of experience in Executive Search. At Sky Hunters we have already faced all these problems and we feel at home in the international talent market in different industries so we know how to get you the right talent. In addition, our consultants have years of experience and profound knowledge in the aerospace industry. This allows them to fully understand your business and attract the perfect candidates with a compelling story and the right employer branding. 

Book a short meeting with us; we are more than happy to help your company find the right talent you may need, wherever they are.