For Loïc Tribot La Spière, general delegate of the Center for Strategic Studies and Prospectives (CEPS) and guest of franceinfo on Sunday, the recruitments wanted by Thales will not be easy, because aeronautics is also experiencing a labor shortage.
“We have noted that, from now on, there can be war in Europe”, noted Loïc Tribot La Spière, guest of franceinfo on Sunday February 26. For the general delegate of the Center for Strategic Studies and Prospectives (CEPS), a specialist in air transport, the sector benefits from a “massive state support” and is picking up again after three difficult years linked to Covid-19.
franceinfo: Several giants in the sector, including Thales, are announcing major recruitments. Is this the only consequence of post-Covid?
Loic Tribot La Spiere: There are a multitude of factors. The first element is indeed the Covid-19. During the confinements, companies carried out layoffs to ensure their sustainability and economic survival, and therefore to a loss of skills. Now the situation is improving, businesses are growing. The other reason is that the aerospace and defense sector enjoys massive state support, first through orders. With the war in Ukraine, we have had to offer a certain number of weapon systems to Ukraine, so we have to compensate for these losses in capacity that we have experienced. In addition, we have acknowledged the fact that there may now be war in Europe.
There is also a need for researchers, because the Defense sector is also recruiting?
It is necessary to underline the singular case of Thales. It is a kind of huge IT service and engineering company (SSII) which is present in many large segments. It is present in the Defense sector, but also on cyber aspects, on the construction of civil aeronautics, in digital. So this company is going to be a great recruiter because it’s multi-trades, not just aerospace, not just defence, but also space, traffic, command, etc. It must meet multiple needs, unlike a group like Dassault, which also recruits, but which is monoculture. Dassault is a feat, but Thales is a rainbow of skills.
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We know that there are labor shortages in many sectors. Is aeronautics concerned?
Of course these companies are concerned. They hire because needs have to be met and because we are in a much more digital era. It must be recognized that a certain number of these large companies are “distooled”. It should also be noted that they have to call on IT services companies, digital companies, which make their employees available. It is now necessary to call on external service providers, but also to hire. In France, there are graduates to hire, but it must be noted that in terms of Research and Development (R&D), our country has always been lagging behind. We are a global training center, we train talented people, and then the Americans recruit them. First, because they offer real salaries, and second, because they offer the opportunity for geniuses to work in laboratories. We try to answer it, but quite weakly in France.