Brazil will need to train 9.6 million workers in industrial occupations over the next three years due to the increasing adoption of new technologies in the sector, according to the research.

This is the main conclusion of the Map of Industrial Work 2022-2025, a study carried out by the National Industry Observatory to identify future demands for labor and guide industrial-based professional training in Brazil.

According to the study, of the total amount of workers in the sector, 2 million will need initial training to replace inactive workers and fill new vacancies. However, the majority of people working on the industrial sector that need a professional update -- 7.6 million workers -- will require ongoing education.

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"The jobs market is undergoing a transformation, caused mainly by the use of new technologies and changes in the production chain. Therefore, Brazil will increasingly need to invest in improvement and requalification so that professionals are up to date," the research noted. Within the Brazilian industrial sector, manufacturing firms have been prioritizing the adoption of technologies such as automation and data analysis under the Industry 4.0 approach.

Some 497,000 jobs should be created in the industrial sector, up from the current 12.3 million to 12.8 million formal vacancies between 2022 and 2025, according to the study. In addition to knowledge related to industrial production, skills required for these occupations vary. However, the research noted that technical and higher-level occupations will continue to grow, with companies seeking professionals able to solve more complex problems.

In the face of the slow labor market recovery post-Covid-19, prioritizing skills improvement of those who are employed and those seeking new opportunities will be "essential" to improve the level and quality of employment and contribute to technological progress and increased productivity in the industrial sector, according to Rafael Lucchesi, the director-general at the National Service for Industrial Learning (SENAI), the main industrial training institution in Brazil.

"We are facing a scenario of low GDP growth, stalled structural reforms, such as tax reform, elections, and high unemployment and informality rates. In this context, the research allows us to understand the changes in the job market and encourage people to seek qualifications where there will be employment. And this [reskilling process] will be a recurring one throughout one's professional trajectory. Whoever stops studying will be left behind," Lucchesi noted.