Technical Work Is Evolving. Soft Skills Matter, but Hard Skills Still Get the Job Done

Justin Allen, Director of Engineering for Powertrain Testing, Bosch

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What skills actually matter in technical careers now that the work is more digital, more automated, and more interconnected?

Industrial employers are not asking schools to choose between hard skills and soft skills. They're asking for both, and they still need the hard skills to come first. At Bosch, Justin Allen sees that every day: teamwork, drive, and professionalism matter, but technical problems don't get solved unless people understand the systems, tools, and engineering underneath them.

That matters more now because the technical skill stack is getting broader. In automotive and other advanced industries, the work still depends on fundamentals like combustion, thermodynamics, and mechanical systems, but those fundamentals now sit alongside software, controls, digital tools, and a much more interconnected view of the whole product. The job is no longer just knowing one domain deeply. It is understanding how changes in one part of the system affect everything downstream.

These changes impact the incumbent workforce as much as new graduates. We need to re-skill people already on the job, tightening the feedback loop between employers and educators, and updating training around the technologies that are actually reshaping work. Justin lays out what that looks like in practice: deeper university partnerships, more direct employer input into curriculum, and targeted upskilling efforts that help workers move into more technical roles and keep pace as the work changes.

In this episode:

The hard skills vs. soft skills debate: soft skills matter, but technical work can't get done without hard skills
Are digital skills now a soft skill?
What employers really mean when they say they want drive, work ethic, and teamwork
How MAGMA has figured out how to successfully re-skill the current workforce
How technical careers are shifting from narrow expertise to systems thinking

3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:

Industrial employers still expect hard skills for all technical positions, not just "soft" or "employability" skills. Justin says it directly: while companies like Bosch value teamwork, drive, and professionalism, technical problems don't get solved unless people understand the systems, tools, and engineering behind the work. It's an important distinction for schools that hear employers talk about soft skills and assume the technical bar has somehow been lowered.

Digital fluency is moving from specialized skill to baseline expectation. Justin argues that younger workers are already showing up comfortable with digital tools, automation, scripts, and AI, while many employers are still adjusting to how fast that shift is happening. In technical roles, that means software awareness and digitalization are becoming part of the expected skill stack.

Schools and workforce programs need tighter alignment with industry's talent and skill needs. Justin shares how he's working directly with universities to help shape curriculum, evaluate where students are still missing key competencies, and bringing real engineering problems into capstone projects so learning stays connected to actual technical work. He also points to MAGMA and Michigan’s workforce ecosystem as examples of how employers, public partners, and training providers can help incumbent workers build new skills, retrain for technical roles, and stay aligned with what industry needs now.

Resources in this Episode:

Learn more about Bosch: https://www.bosch.us/

Learn more about MAGMA: https://miautomobility.org/

Other resources:

Sixty by 30: Reskilling Michigan's Workforce - with LEO Executive Director Susan Corbin
The 50/50 University Model that Leaves Grads with 2.5 Years of Work Experience and $75k - with Dr. Robert McMahan, President of Kettering University
Lawrence Technological University
Oakland Community College

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