Dive Brief:
- In an effort to move forward with smart car technology development, Ford Motor Co. has agreed to hire 400 connected-car engineers from BlackBerry Ltd., reports Bloomberg.
- This is a good move for BlackBerry as they shift from creating software instead of mobile phones in the wake of a layoff last year. Ford and BlackBerry announced the partnership at the end of 2016, and are focusing on linking software to connected-car features and self-driving technology.
- Ford has announced that it would receive $154 million in federal and provincial money to support up to 800 new jobs at its plant in Ontario, part of an effort to keep jobs in Canada.
Dive Insight:
The Ford/BlackBerry team-up is a good example of a more industrial employer seeking ways to address the growing talent gap within blue collar talent pools. Ford Motor Co. benefits from the incoming smart technology engineers and BlackBerry Ltd. has time to regroup and work closely with Ford to develop the best products that will roll out to consumers with the cars.
As skills shortages grow, organizations will need to find ways to beef up their talent pipelines that are both innovative and sustainable. Some companies have opted for better training programs that address the needs of both the employer and employee, teaching employees how and why to use new tools.
Talent gaps in manufacturing are especially strong, and that is partly to do with a misperception of the kind of work the manufacturers of today need. By teaming up with a fairly big (if older) name in the tech space, it could also help Ford modernize its recruitment marketing.
