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Mind the gap
The pulp and paper industry is short on key skills , but these gaps can be plugged as Stefano Cinquina explains
The pulp and paper industry is facing a skills shortage , one that must be addressed if manufacturers hope to operate from a position of strength in an increasingly competitive , digitalized marketplace .
Attracting a new generation of digitally literate , eco-savvy workers to an industry that is mistakenly perceived to be behind the curve on sustainability is just one of the challenges faced by operators . The misconception has been allowed to perpetuate that pulp and paper operations are wasteful and polluting , when in fact the industry continues to be proactive around recyclability and circularity , developing sustainable solutions such as recyclable mono-material films and compostable packaging that provide a valid alternative to fossil-based materials and can even directly replace single-use plastics .
Industry 4.0 is transforming the pulp and paper sector – but just as valuable is the expertise and experience gained over a career spent serving customers and collaborating with colleagues . We cannot allow this vast store of knowledge to exit the industry when people retire . Instead , we must establish succession plans to ensure that knowledge from senior specialists around best practice is successfully captured and integrated with new skills and perspectives from the younger generation .
Certain specialist technical skills only apply to specific industries , but ‘ soft ’ skills such as curiosity and creativity are universal and can be transferred to great disruptive effect from one industry sector to another , replacing entrenched thinking and business as usual with new , innovative ways of working .
That is why , at ABB , our search for the best engineers extends beyond the pulp and paper industry to encompass a host of other industries – aeronautical ( where I began my career before making the move to pulp and paper ) and electronics being two compelling examples , where expertise in optics , electronics , signal analysis and detection , for instance , can be used to solve issues in paper mills .
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