Where to find skills for the eVTOL industry?

The eVTOL industry is still very much in its infancy.

With rapid growth, comes the inevitable need for recruitment. Historically, this has been an industry that has struggled to find and secure top talent due to the variety of backgrounds required and - quite frankly - the lack of people with extensive industry experience given how much of the tech is new and emerging.

So does talent spotting in this industry require a bit of outside-the-box thinking, or do we just need a push in the right location? Maybe it's a mix of both…

Where can you source the skills you need?

Technical skills are highly-sought after in this industry. Programming, aerodynamics, and an understanding of electric motors are the skills we've found to be the most sought after. But where can you find these skills? Software development is a great one to find programming skills. Software development for an aerodynamics company and you're on to an absolute winner. Generally speaking we find that clean propulsion companies of all types (not just those developing eVTOLs) typically look to industries like motorsports, aerospace and defense, engineering, and chemistry environments to get the skills they need. This is due to there being a lot of crossover in the skills needed.

Education-wise with this being a new industry, it's hard to say definitely which degrees would be best served for this industry. The vast majority of eVTOL companies are rooted within aerospace technology, so a degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or other related field would give employees a strong foundation as they enter the industry. Some other degrees that may not appear that relevant but have a lot of transferable skills include software engineering, battery technology, and even robotics. 

You can also look to 'home-grow' your talent. This is a great option for companies that are willing to hire more junior talent and develop them into exactly what they need. Hire people with the core skills you need, and then upskill them on anything really specific that they may be missing. This can also help with long-term retention, after all professional development is something lots of candidates look for from an employer!

Where in the world are the talent hotspots?

There's a few hotspots for eVTOL talent across the globe, but we will cover the biggest ones quickly now. If you're in North America, it should come as no surprise that the area leading this innovative industry is Silicon Valley in California. But, If you're looking for talent in a slightly less expensive location, Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas is another key location in North America for eVTOL development.

If we come to Europe, Germany are currently the European leader in the eVTOL space with big players including Lilium and Volocopter based there. The UK is home to a few innovative companies that are moving the industry forward towards urban mobility, so is also worth considering when scouting for up-and-coming talent.

And finally, in Asia it is China that are leading the way in the eVTOL space as they are receiving extensive financial backing from the government to position themselves as the innovation hub in the industry. There is plenty of money for eVTOL companies in China, but that also means their talent are paid extremely well. You will have to pay a far whack to pry talent away from this region.

Whilst it's certainly simpler to hire from the country your based in, thinking globally when it comes to skills mobility can help solve recruitment headaches - but be prepared to pay relocation packages! 

Now you've found them, what will attract them to join YOU?

Other than a healthy compensation package, there are a few key trends we've noticed when candidates are choosing one company over another. For companies based in the US, generous or fully paid medical, dental, and vision plans are a great benefit that's popular amongst candidates. Unlimited annual leave is another benefit that companies in innovative industries have been trialling with great effect recently, and it's one that grabs the attention of potential candidates. 

If you're looking to source talent from one of the hotspots we mentioned previously, relocation assistance, such as moving expenses or a housing allowance, can be offered as an extra incentive.

For more insight into the clean propulsion market, download our Clean Propulsion Skills report here: http://fmctalent.com/gated-blog/clean-propulsion-skills-report-2024