National defense industry - modernization with retirees

The revitalization of the national defense industry is achieved with employees who are at or past the retirement age, Constantin Bucuroiu, president of the Alliance of Trade Unions in the Defense and Aeronautics Industry, told the BURSA newspaper.

Constantin Bucuroiu specified: "At the moment we are facing an acute shortage of personnel in the national defense industry, even though, based on memoranda, the Government has ordered personnel hiring at Carfil Braşov, the Cugir Mechanical Plant, the Drafomireşti Mechanical Plant and the Mija Mechanical Plant. The shortage of personnel is acute, if we consider that, in the case of companies subordinate to Romarm, 1390 employees out of the 5600 are retired, that is, 25%. If we take into account the need to hire additional personnel to carry out various projects in the defense industry, the personnel shortage in the entire industrial branch amounts to almost 45%. This shortage is caused by the fact that no one managed the labor force in the defense industry, management being difficult to achieve given that most state-owned companies had interim managers, whose mandate was renewed every 4 months. We hope that with the general implementation of corporate governance, the new managers who will have a 4-year mandate will draw up the necessary plans for training and hiring the necessary workforce in this field. At the moment there is no human resource policy, the only training, qualification and professional retraining programs being implemented by the trade union confederations through European funds".

The ASIAA President also told us that, in addition to the personnel shortage, the national defense industry is also facing a chronic underfunding of research and development in this field, the amounts allocated to companies for research, innovation and development being close to zero, unlike the policy imposed by the European Commission.

• Study conducted at european level on the workforce in the defense industry

The union leader gave us the above statements in the context in which the defense sector in the European Union (EU) is facing a shortage of qualified labor, and the European Commission has launched an ambitious initiative to respond to this challenge.

According to the Euractiv website, the European Executive recently launched two surveys aimed at analyzing the perceptions and interest of defense industry personnel and young professionals or students in this field. This move underlines the strategic importance of the defense sector, especially in the current geopolitical context marked by conflicts and increasing demand for defense equipment.

The surveys are addressed to distinct target groups. The first one is aimed at personnel already active in the defence sector, with the aim of understanding their experiences and identifying measures that could increase the attractiveness of this sector. The second survey is aimed at young professionals or students who have not yet worked in this field, in order to assess their motivations and reluctances towards a possible career in the defence industry.

Among the questions addressed to those active in the industry are: "What is important to you when considering your current or future job?" The answers include criteria such as the level of remuneration, the opportunity to contribute to technological innovation, strengthening national and international security, but also the commitment to sustainability.

The surveys also explore other key aspects such as work-life balance, management style, career advancement opportunities, but also possible reasons why employees might consider leaving the sector.

A crucial issue addressed by the European Commission is the perception of ethics and human rights in the decisions taken by the defence industry. For example, the two questionnaires ask respondents to what extent they believe that the European defence industry respects these principles when making decisions on military equipment exports. The source also points out that the defence sector is considered by many to be unattractive, especially for young people, and states that this perception is often due to the association of the industry with immorality or lack of sustainability. In addition, the location of factories in remote areas and the previous insufficient investment in new defence programmes contribute to this negative image. The EU's defence industrial strategy recognises these issues, identifying that reduced mobility and an ageing workforce are aggravating the situation.

• Increased demand for skilled labour in the context of the conflict in Ukraine

The conflict in Ukraine and the need to consolidate military equipment stocks have put additional pressure on the defence industry. The increase in orders and the need to respond quickly to market demands require attracting a larger and better-trained workforce. Last year, at European level, the number of jobs in the sector increased by 8% compared to the previous year, according to the European Defence Industry Association (EDI). This trend comes after an increase of 5.2% recorded in 2022. In this context, the European Commission underlines that access to a skilled workforce is a key element for the development of the industry.

The new EU defence industrial strategy, developed under the coordination of the Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, proposes concrete measures to make the sector more attractive. These include integrating education into the defence sector, supporting workforce mobility and promoting specialised educational programmes. The main objective is to reduce the skills shortage through a proactive approach, which would stimulate military production and ensure the sustainability of the industry in the face of current challenges.

The European Commission's efforts reflect the strategic importance of the defence sector for the security and stability of the European Union. Through recent initiatives, the European executive is trying to change the perception of this sector and to ensure the human resources needed to meet the increasingly complex demands of the market. However, the success of these efforts depends on the industry's ability to become an attractive and ethical employer, able to offer compelling opportunities for the new generations.