inclusion programme, while 63% expect wages to account for a growing share of employers’ total revenues, with 92% intending to align wages with productivity and 46% aiming to reduce wage inequalities. The Automotive and Aerospace sector stands out for its expectation regarding the significant impact that both climate mitigation and geoeconomic fragmentation might have on the industry in the next five years: 54% of respondents identify rising geopolitical tensions (compared to 34% across other industries) and 46% highlight increasing trade restrictions (compared to 23% in other industries) as key drivers of change. About one-fourth of industry players are evaluating options to reshore, nearshore or friendshore, and 16% to offshore – suggesting the possibility of greater supply chain re-organization than in other industries. These trends point to considerable transformation for most companies, with skills gaps in labour markets, organizational cultures and resistance to change identified as top barriers, alongside difficulties to attract talent to the industry (highlighted by 42% of respondents, compared to 37% in other industries) and limited access to investment capital (40%, compared to 26% in other industries). Employers are prioritizing workforce strategies that focus on upskilling, automating processes, and transitioning staff from declining to growing roles. Jobs on the rise are predicted to include Robotics Engineers and Data Analysts and Scientists. In the Chemical and Advanced Materials sector, industry transformation is foreseen to be heavily influenced by investments in the green and digital transitions, leading to a projected increase in job roles for AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Business Development Professionals by 2030. The industry also anticipates a need for more AI and big data as well as environmental stewardship skills. However, the human factor is expected to pose a significant barrier for the industry, with skills gaps in the labour markets and talent attraction to the industry identified as the top two obstacles to industry transformation. To improve industry attractiveness, companies are planning to focus on talent progression and promotion processes, supporting employees’ health and well-being and offering higher wages. Employers suggest governments should support upskilling and reskilling and improve education systems, as well as provide wage subsidies and greater flexibility in wage setting. Nine in 10 companies in the industry plan to align wages closely with productivity while only 9% plan to review wage costs as part of cost- reduction exercises in the next five years. Broadening digital access, increased focus on labour and social issues, and slower economic growth are expected to drive the transformation of the Education and Training sector by 2030. AI and big data skills as well as creative thinking are foreseen to grow in importance. Emerging job roles within the industry are anticipated to include AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Digital Transformation Specialists. Employers also place greater emphasis than in other industries on curiosity and lifelong learning, marketing and media skills and multilingualism. The industry is less focused than other sectors on upskilling and reskilling its own workforce (73%, compared to the 85% global industry average), while employers aim to improve attractiveness through better talent progression and promotion processes, higher wages, and supporting employee well-being. By 2030, the landscape of the Electronics sector is expected to be shaped by increased climate mitigation efforts, continued digitalization of the economy, and aging and shrinking workforces, while the industry appears less concerned about economic cycles: only 25% of respondents anticipate significant impact from slower economic growth, compared to 42% across all sectors. With AI, robotics and energy technologies targeted for adoption, industry job growth is predicted for AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Electrotechnology Engineers. Talent availability is seen as a concern, with 61% of employers expecting hiring challenges to worsen but only 9% worried about talent retention (compared to 19% global industry average). Workforce strategies are planned to focus on automation, upskilling, and transitioning staff to growing roles. Other than public policy support on reskilling and upskilling, firms also call for improved transport infrastructure to enhance talent availability. Over the next five years, climate mitigation is foreseen to be at the centre of the Energy Technology and Utilities sector, as companies plan to invest in greener technologies for energy generation, storage and distribution. As a result, Environmental Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Renewable Energy Engineers are among the expected top-growing job roles in the sector. As employers aim to transform their business, industry players are particularly concerned about skills gaps in the labour market (81%, compared to 63% across all industries), alongside outdated or unflexible regulations (44%), organizational culture and resistance to change, and the industry’s capacity to attract talent (37%). To improve talent availability and industry attractiveness, businesses are planning on improving talent progression and promotion processes and investing in reskilling and upskilling programmes, for which respondents see a role for increased financial support from the public sector. Increased digitalization is seen as the primary driver of transformation in the Financial Services and Capital Markets sector over the next five years, alongside adaptation to climate change and slower economic growth. The sector also anticipates being particularly exposed to AI, with only 5% of employers expecting no significant adoption of the technology by 2030 (compared to 14% across all industries). As a result, AI and big data skills, technological literacy and cybersecurity skills are estimated to be in high demand and the industry anticipates creation of new job roles for Future of Jobs Report 2025 85