THE HUMAN EQUATION

People, employment and the future of mobility

Every industrial revolution changes more than the products we make. It changes the skills we need, the jobs we create and the opportunities available to the people behind them. Mobility is entering another such transformation, and its human consequences deserve as much attention as its technological advances.

A recent study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has brought this challenge into focus. Its analysis suggests that delaying Europe's passenger-car emissions targets by five years could leave employment across assessed automotive sectors up to 185,000 jobs below 2025 levels by 2035. The findings underline an important reality: the direction and pace of technological change can influence not only industrial competitiveness, but also future employment.

For the Middle East and Africa, this transformation presents a different but equally significant opportunity. The Middle East is investing in economic diversification, advanced manufacturing and new mobility technologies. Across Africa, developing automotive assembly, component manufacturing, technical services and supporting industries could open new pathways for industrial employment.

But investment in factories and technology alone will not deliver this potential. The region needs people equipped to work with emerging technologies, understand changing vehicle architectures and develop the technical capabilities that tomorrow's mobility industry will demand.

This calls for closer collaboration between governments, manufacturers, educational institutions and industry partners. Technical training, reskilling and knowledge transfer must become integral to industrial development, rather than follow it as an afterthought.

A Thought Across Time

Nelson Mandela once observed:
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

His words carry particular relevance for an industry undergoing profound technological change. Preparing people for the future is not separate from building the future; it is fundamental to it.

The ultimate measure of mobility's progress will not be how advanced its machines become, but how many people move forward with them.