Towards a Competency Framework for Bridging Skill Gaps in the European Li-ion Battery Industry : A case study on a leading European battery player

Sammanfattning: While human capital is repeatedly recognized as the most critical source of organizational capabilities, transformational changes to business environments are causing challenges related to human resource development. Against the backdrop of this, the emerging European Lithium-ion battery industry is facing headwinds in supplying critical engineering talent with the right skill set to enable the significant predicted growth of the industry. To bridge skill gaps, and reduce such bottleneck, studies suggest that mapping competencies is critical. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the definition of competence, and few empirical studies providing concrete meaning to it. Hence, the purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify competencies and perceived skill gaps in the context of a leading European battery player, catering to the need of both the industry and the researched field. The secondary data of the study includes a literature review consolidating existing literature on occupational competence and approaches to competence in a conceptual framework. The framework consists of twenty-two competence components and five competence dimensions: cognitive competence, functional competence, methods-and process competence, meta competence, and social competence. The primary data consists of interviews with managers and recruiters at the case company. Collected data was analyzed along the dimensions of the conceptual framework. The study reveals common competency requirements and skill gaps across multiple roles. Competencies include, but are not limited to structured problem solving, electrochemistry, Lithium-ion battery knowledge, and autonomy, while skill gaps include serial manufacturing and quality standards. The theoretical implication of the study encompasses accuracies and challenges related to the number of dimensions used for defining derived competencies. The practical implications relate to synergies in competence development efforts.