Industry-Academia Unity Key to Tackling Talent Shortages

By Dennis Daniel

Attracting and retaining talent is a major challenge for employers in the project sector and should be addressed through more collaboration between industry and academia, attendees were told at a Breakbulk Middle East 2025 panel discussion.

Gautham Krishnan, global category manager – logistics at Fluor and the moderator of the main stage session in Dubai, emphasized the need to improve the education system to better prepare young talent for future jobs and leadership roles.

“We also need more education programs specifically designed for those seeking career growth and career transition,” the executive said.

Panelist Jomana Elkholy, marine superintendent at Boluda Towage, suggested how schools and universities could develop students into a tech-savvy workforce.

“The maritime industry, for example, is being transformed with technologies such as AI and IoT (Internet of Things), and ports are adopting automation and smart technology,” Elkholy said. “It is crucial to equip the next generation of employees with the skills to adapt to these changes. This may require a more interactive, hands-on approach and adopting technologies like VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) to complement classroom learning.”

Also on the panel was Dr. Sven Hermann, managing director of ProLog Innovation and professor for logistics and supply chain management at NBS Northern Business School, who stressed that collaboration between universities and industry in education should be the norm rather than the exception.

“Bringing industry experts into the classroom can help,” he said. “In my lectures, I invite company representatives to give 20 to 30-minute talks about their specific fields, whether it is about using innovative technology or sharing lessons learned in leading a company or team, the process of developing teams, and the skills prioritized for the future.”

Shereen Nassar, global director of logistics studies at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University in Dubai, added: “Academia must bridge the gap with industry by identifying future trends and skill requirements and incorporating them into the curriculum.

“Educators and employers must maintain communication and collaboration in order to understand emerging trends and seize opportunities. From an educator’s perspective, we need a more agile approach to training programs to help students adapt to change quickly.”

Nassar pointed to the issue of companies struggling to provide clear career paths for employees. “I’ve conducted surveys asking employees what factors influence them to stay or leave a company. The common answer was that they would leave if they did not see career growth and continuous learning opportunities. Employers need to treat employees as internal customers and invest in their retention as they do with external customers,” she said.

Hermann said “ongoing dialogue” between companies, mentors and employees to help identify opportunities for career development and skill improvement was crucial, while Elkholy added that employers could create a more fulfilling work environment by making jobs engaging while allowing employees a work-life balance.

“This could be augmented with strong communication in the workplace, listening to feedback – including negative feedback – and informing employees about the company’s goals and challenges.”

The panelists urged businesses to rethink layoffs as a quick cost-cutting solution.

“Businesses should evaluate the cost-benefit ratios of laying off talented employees versus hiring new ones. It is not difficult to implement systems to measure employee performance against business needs and fill in the skill gaps with professional development programs,” said Nassar.

She also emphasized the importance of companies making a greater effort to understand the employee mindset. “Understanding the differing expectations of employees from different generations is crucial, as older employees have different needs compared to fresh graduates,” she said.

“To attract and retain Gen Z talent, for example, employers need to be flexible in their demands, as Gen Z employees expect flexible working hours, remote work options and a better work-life balance over the traditional 9–5 schedule. This is especially relevant in today’s gig economy.”


Are you ready to join the discussion? Recruitment and the talent gap will be key talking points at Breakbulk Europe 2025, taking place on May 13-15 in Rotterdam.

Top photo (L-R): Gautham Krishnan, Sven Hermann, Jomana Elkholy, Shereen Nassar. Credit: Spaceplum