The Hidden Champions

A Blank Spot on the Map 

The Business School at the University of Southern Denmark and the Institute for Business Management, in collaboration with other universities in Denmark, the Nordic region, Germany, and France, conducted a large-scale study on the perception of the automotive industry among young university students. The results fully confirmed our concerns. The study revealed a remarkable lack of awareness and some highly outdated perceptions of the sector. It turned out that more than 80% of participants had never even considered it as a possible career path. 

The paradox is alive and well: The young people in our study dream of working in companies that engage with modern agendas such as innovation, diversity, sustainability, environmental protection, gender balance, and inclusion. Yet, they had no idea that many Automotive Aftermarket companies are deeply involved in precisely these issues. 

Both Companies and Universities Must Take Responsibility 

Many companies, like those in the Automotive Aftermarket, operate in overlooked sectors and have a pressing need to modernize their image among young talent. However, the education sector also has a responsibility to be more aware of developments in the industrial sectors and their increasing need for not only technical skills but also softer, intercultural, and global leadership competencies. Both sides must come together to better inform young people about career opportunities in these industries. To help address this issue, SDU has launched the “Talent-in-Use” project. This initiative involves a unique collaboration between various stakeholders, including leading manufacturers, international trade associations, business organizations, and universities. The goal is to align the supply of skilled graduates with industry demand, focusing on language skills, intercultural competencies, diversity, global leadership, and— most importantly—values and attitudes. 

Large, expensive branding campaigns are not the solution; they are not effective at changing misconceptions. Instead, dialogue and simple, hands-on activities can bring young people into closer contact with the sector and give them a realistic understanding of its opportunities. Ultimately, the key is to create practical sessions where companies and potential future employees can meet and engage in conversation. This allows young people to develop their own informed perspectives and challenge outdated stereotypes—such as by meeting female leaders in the sector and witnessing work environments that defy traditional assumptions. 

Ideally, these exchanges should begin much earlier—preferably as early as primary school 

A Meeting Place for the Industry and Young Talent 

In other words, there is a significant need for communication through real, in-person meetings, where Aftermarket companies and young people can get to know each other. 

At the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), we initially organized a workshop with various stakeholders to discuss this challenge. Building on this effort—and in connection with the global initiative TALENTS4AA, which was established in 2020 to make the sector more attractive to young talent—we have created a dedicated meeting space: the Automotive Aftermarket Symposium. This initiative has been developed in collaboration with SDU Career Hub and key industry leaders, including Bosch, Dinex, Temot International, FEBI, FIGIEFA, FAAS, AUTIG, and Nissens. 

The Automotive Aftermarket Symposium was recently held at the University of Southern Denmark for the first time. Here, companies demonstrated how they work with diversity, advanced technology, and more sustainable solutions in various ways. They also highlighted that they are not only seeking technological qualifications. Branding, organizational development, international business development, team building, mentoring, etc., are also on the agenda for aftermarket companies, just like for all other modern international businesses. Such face-to-face meetings with questions and discussions allow students to experience the realities of the sector firsthand. 

The Education Sector also has a Responsibility. 

 The aftermarket industry wants to establish connections with the education sector and students to future-proof a suitable foundation for qualified labor for their companies. In this process, universities play an important role in the value chain, allowing talent development in a collaborative manner and establishing partnerships between employers and educational institutions around tailored talent development programs. 

Companies that, like the automotive aftermarket industry, operate in overlooked sectors must modernize their image among young people. However, the education sector must also be more aware of these companies’ technological developments and their need for intercultural, global competencies.

Contemporary perceptions of the production and service sectors must be developed starting in primary school and continued through universities and vocational education to generate awareness and interest in companies within this industry that are actively working to achieve many of the goals that young people today want to contribute to, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and climate change initiatives. Developing these change agents is a necessary prerequisite for achieving the green transition. 

The development of new perceptions of the production and service sectors should begin in schools and continue throughout the education system to create interest in the companies contributing to future sustainable mobility. The challenges also call for direct relationship building and networking between companies and young talents, whether through physical meetings, social media, or other channels.