Investing in mobility means investing on people

As cities and regions race to roll out more sustainable mobility options, new and innovative technologies, digital tools and policy apparatus are proving critical to achieving emissions reduction targets. Moreover, human resources are proving equally as critical. So how are cities ensuring they have the personnel they need? Isobel Duxfield answers this question.

With fresh solutions come fresh human resource challenges. In any industry, expertise always needs refreshing; however, the speed in which sustainable mobility technology and regulations are changing makes this particularly pertinent for our sector.

From Madrid and Amsterdam’s ultra-fast EV-charging networks to automated vehicle research, like that being trialled through the LEVITATE project, smart and clean mobility technologies are transforming urban transport.

Many feared such digitalisation and mechanisation would eliminate the need for human personnel. Yet, we are witnessing the opposite; electrification, clean fuels and automation have in fact intensified demands on the transport sector’s workforce. The explosion of sustainable modal options requires specialised technical skills and proficient governance capabilities.

New expertise, new skills

Mobility stakeholders are increasingly seeking new and highly skilled personnel. Between the Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT) (at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), the Université Gustave Eiffel and the Breda University Academy for Built Environment and Logistics (ABEL), leading global academic institutions are equipping current and aspiring professionals with the required capabilities.

Credits: CERTH

'As well as our own research activities, CERTH supports new professionals transport engineers through internships and Erasmus programs, while delivering training courses content related to sustainable mobility,' says Maria Chatziathanasiou, a Research Associate at POLIS member CERTH.

As European projects like We-Transform are drawing focus towards skills and know-how, mobility stakeholders are increasingly investing in human resources.

Credits: We-Transform

'The future will require new expertise, able to match sustainability needs with new technologies,' says Professor Cristina Pronello from Politecnico di Torino, coordinator of the We-Transform project.

'This is the rationale behind We-Transform, which will set up a cross-national 'hub' that will collect and analyse information supported by Collective Intelligence (CI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to listen the needs of workers and employers to produce a policy agenda shaping the future of workforce.'

Interdisciplinary efforts

Sustainable mobility solutions require cross-sector cooperation. Progress is an ongoing collaboration between urban planning, engineering, public policy, communications departments and more. Indeed, POLIS itself is made up of engineers, architects, geographers and even philosophers!

It is in this vein that new POLIS member Université Gustave Eiffel is seeking to equip the next generation of mobility professionals with the ambidexterity required.

Credits: Université Gustave Eiffel

The university is a global pioneer in sustainable cities research. The institution, which holds 17,000 students and 2,300 staff, spread across campuses in Paris, Lyon, Nantes, and Marseille, is a partnership between a research institute, a school of architecture and three engineering schools.

'Our university provides skills tailored to the needs of cities, working jointly with private and public partners, offering rigorous degree programmes and graduate training, organising and participating to workshops and conferences, as well as fostering students’ own initiatives, such as UnivCamp,' says Agnès Jullien, Vice-President International at the university.

By drawing together such a talented collection of mobility experts and students, Eiffel is in a unique position to be able to provide exemplary cross-sectoral support for sustainable transport policy. Indeed, the university has contributed to a spectrum of critical policy initiatives, drafting policy briefs for the T20, position papers for the European Commission, workshops on automated mobility, and- significantly, contributing to the SKILFULL project, an H2020-funded project which examines future trends in transport systems and the impacts on employment.

What cities want

At the other end of the spectrum, local authorities and their operating partners are eager to recruit skilled personnel, while reskilling their existing employees. Baden-Württemberg is investing heavily in new staff for the region’s sustainable mobility initiatives.

POLIS member and chair of POLIS’ Region’s Working Group, Baden-Württemberg has been rapidly expanding its sustainable mobility offerings, aiming to double the use of public transport by 2030 while reducing car traffic by a third. Such comprehensive action is part of a package of measures being developed as within the federal State government's Integrated Energy and Climate Protection Concept (IEKK).

Mobility stakeholders who are increasingly seeking new and highly skilled personnel - Credits: Unsplash

The region has recognised achieving this requires simultaneous expansion and enhancement of human resources.

'There is a lack of personnel to implement the set goals, in particular the 2030 goals and further obligations from the Climate Protection Act within the required time frame,' warns Mrs Simone Fedderke, Head of the Climate Protection Division in Transport at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport.

To tackle this issue, the Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg has launched a funding program for employing additional staff for cycling, charging infrastructure, electromobility, mobility stations, data management, sharing services and parking – all while providing rigorous training for new hires.

Just as Gustav Eiffel instils a multi-disciplinary approach to its education, the region also emphasises the necessity for such cross-cutting knowledge.

'The key skills are not limited to one single area of mobility or transport. It is important to take a holistic view and an integrated approach on the topic of sustainable mobility and climate protection in transport to generate synergies and anchor the topics in one's own municipality. It is about establishing contacts with other staff units in the same field and learn about good practices beyond their own administration' says Mrs Fedderke.

The way forward?

Ensuring human resources keep up with technological change is no mean feat; yet judging CERTH, Gustav Eiffel and cities like Baden Wurttemberg, the future looks bright.

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About We-Transform

We-Transform is an EU-funded project coordinated by Politecnico Di Torino. It aims to apply a participatory approach, using Collective Intelligence, to generate an evidence-based and action-oriented agenda for politicians to tackle the challenges imposed on the labour force by the increasing automation of mobility services. Using a living hub, stakeholder forum and advisory board, We-Transform identifies key barriers, needs, skills, competences, examining best practices for creating targeted solutions. Through its working groups on Safety and Security, and Governance and Integration, POLIS has been coordinating cooperation on gender inclusive mobility.

Read more here.

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About Université Gustave Eiffel

Gustave Eiffel is one of POLIS’ newest members. The university was created as a national university with 7 campuses attached to different cities, aiming to feed research and innovations covering the numerous fields linked to cities. It offers courses in arts and literature, mathematics, computer science, physical sciences, languages, economics and management, humanities and social sciences.

Read more here.

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About CERTH: Centre for Research and Technology Hellas

POLIS member Centre for Research and Technology Hellas – CERTH is engaged with the organization, operation, planning and development of infrastructure, standardization, economic analysis, management, vehicle technology, and impact assessment of land, maritime, air, and multimodal transport services. It is also active in training and education activities and cooperates with local, private and public bodies and other institutions in Europe and beyond, such as in the case of the on e-smartec project.

Read more here.

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About becoming a POLIS associate member!

POLIS is pleased to boast several leading research institutes and universities amongst its associated membership. Joining POLIS brings local authorities and transport stakeholders to the centre of the European urban mobility community. Our member universities collaborate with cities and regions to develop new mobility tools, providing training and know-how, as well as help in creating international synergies between sustainability projects.

Read more here.

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About the author

Isobel Duxfield was Membership and Communications Officer at POLIS Network.