Boeing India Builds In-House Aerospace Talent Pool Amid Global Competition
Boeing India is building its aerospace workforce from within by developing deep technical expertise in areas like systems thinking, safety mindset, and regulatory discipline. The company's Executive Director, HR, Sarma Chillara, says that India produces exceptional engineers at scale but lacks the specialized talent required for the aerospace industry.
Chillara notes that Boeing has shifted its focus from moving work to India to driving global engineering and innovation from the country. The company now contributes to various areas such as digital technologies, analytics, advanced manufacturing, and enterprise capabilities.
To attract and retain top talent in India, Chillara emphasizes that culture is now a more significant lever than compensation. Boeing offers career progression opportunities, internal mobility, global exposure, and purpose-driven work. The company also prioritizes academia partnerships, including its Learning Together Programme, which provides $25,000 per employee per year to develop skills.
Air artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the skillsets required in various domains, particularly engineering, manufacturing, and corporate functions. Boeing focuses on building AI-enabled skills internally by clustering employees into 55 different domains and providing customized training based on specific job requirements. The company aims to make its existing workforce AI-enabled.