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Amid a scenario that mixes technological advances and economic challenges, Brazilian industry faces a problem that could paralyze production in several sectors: the shortage of qualified labor.
But what is behind this crisis that only seems to be getting worse? And what are the areas most affected by this lack of talent?
According to the Industrial Labor Map 2022-2025, a detailed study carried out by the National Industrial Observatory, Brazil urgently needs to qualify 9,6 million workers by next year to meet market demands.
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The impressive number reveals a need that goes far beyond what was imagined, with the creation of 497 thousand new jobs in the next four years.
This growth should raise the total number of formal jobs in the industry to 12,8 million. However, the shortage of professionals with technical training threatens these ambitious plans.
According to Gustavo Leal, general director of the National Industrial Training Service (Senai), in an interview with O Globo newspaper, The main profile sought by industries includes professionals who can adapt quickly to technological changes, who have critical thinking and who demonstrate creativity.
Industry 4.0, which is becoming increasingly present in the country, demands specialized resumes in mechatronics, data analysis and artificial intelligence, according to Leal.
Furthermore, knowledge in green economy is on the rise, as industries seek paths to sustainability, making these areas even more valuable.
However, the root of the problem is not restricted to factories. Leal points out that the The difficulty in recruiting qualified professionals begins long before young people enter the job market.
The small proportion of students who opt for technical training in secondary education, combined with the high dropout rates, results in an insufficient contingent to fill the available vacancies.
A survey carried out by Senai in May 2024 revealed that 52% of teenagers aged 14 to 17 know little or nothing about professional training opportunities in the industry.
Large industries, aware of this challenge, are investing in programs to attract young people to the sector. Saint-Gobain, a construction giant with 58 factories in Brazil, plans to hire 3,4 people in 2024, an increase of 23% compared to the previous year.
To date, 1,7 admissions have been made in the first semester. The company still has 250 open positions in several areas and has implemented robust policies to retain its talent, especially in the area of Information Technology (IT), which, according to Gustavo Siqueira, vice president of HR for Latin America, presents ongoing challenges due to the high supply of vacancies in the market.
Training initiatives in education
In São Paulo, Hyundai Motor Brasil innovated by starting an educational project in the public school system of Piracicaba, where its factory is located, aiming to train students aged 14 to 18 to develop prototypes of hydrogen energy solutions.
In Ceará, M. Dias Branco, a food manufacturer of well-known brands such as Piraquê, adopted the strategy of organizing visits for students to its unit in Eusébio.
The companies' efforts are commendable, but will they be enough to solve the problem of labor shortages in the industry? Furthermore, can these short-term initiatives compensate for decades of neglect in the technical training of young Brazilians?
In fact, there is no shortage of labor, what is lacking is a company that pays a fair salary. I am an industrial electrician. There are actually several vacancies in the market, but the salary offered is ridiculous (not worth it). While I see vacancies for domestic workers, delivery drivers, gas station attendants, furniture assemblers, etc., with salaries of R$4000,00 and higher, in the industrial area they are paying half of that amount to risk their lives traveling. In short, it is not worth it. As I say, companies want a good employee, so they pay a good salary, it's that simple!
So, I don't understand Brazilian businessmen. First they embark on the impeachment of the president, paralyzing the country and supporting the coup. Then they defend the arrest of President Lula without evidence. As a result, the militia gang Bolsonaro was elected. That was a festival of horrors without any project for the country. With all these disasters, the country went to rock bottom. How do you want qualified labor if you supported the closure of universities and technical schools? The Brazilian elite is backward and has no vision for the future. You are fucking idiots.
Unfortunately, this is how Brazil works!! They demand qualified workers, but they cannot have an equivalent salary. They want education to become a business, that is, to be privatized, and it is clear that this is working, with students fleeing from technological careers, at any level. Visits were a strategy for all public courses, but the industries imposed rules at the beginning, and in the end they did not accept the visits, which is understandable, since it disrupts the shifts. But there is another consequence.