A Global Competition for Talent

A changing global workforce

The global workforce is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. Across every industry, organizations are feeling the effects of technological disruption, shifting geopolitics, economic uncertainty, and demographic change. These forces are reshaping not only how we work, but what people expect from their careers.

A 2024 Manpower survey found that three out of four employers globally struggle to find the right talent. This challenge cuts across all sectors and company sizes, reflecting an intensifying competition for people with skills in areas such as data science, artificial intelligence, engineering, and sustainability.

The fertilizer industry in a changing talent landscape

The fertilizer industry faces the same realities as many others. It must attract and develop skilled professionals to drive innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability — while keeping the world’s food supply secure.

But it also offers something that few sectors can match: a clear sense of purpose. Fertilizer contributes to feeding nearly half of the world’s population. It supports farmers, strengthens food systems, and enables sustainable agricultural growth. For professionals looking for meaningful work, this connection between science, technology, and human health has powerful appeal.

How the industry competes for talent

Around the world, fertilizer producers and service providers are finding new ways to compete for talent, not only by offering strong career prospects, but by aligning with people’s desire to make a difference.

In India, leading companies such as IFFCO, Coromandel International, and Yara are hiring data scientists, agronomists, and engineers to develop digital tools that help farmers optimize nutrient use and improve crop yields sustainably.
In Europe, companies like Yara International are creating new opportunities in low-carbon ammonia production - a field that lies at the crossroads of the energy transition and food security.
Across Africa and Latin America, organizations including OCP and Yara are investing in local capacity-building, offering roles that combine technical expertise with community engagement and sustainable development.

These examples show how the industry’s competition for talent is not limited to traditional agronomic or chemistry roles. It increasingly attracts people with backgrounds in digital technology, logistics, business strategy, education, and environmental science - professionals motivated by the chance to apply their skills to real global challenges.

Purpose as a competitive advantage

The modern workforce is placing greater emphasis on values and impact. Mercer’s Workforce 2.0 report found that nearly half of global jobseekers (45%) say working for an organization with a purpose they can be proud of is their top priority, a significant shift from just a few years ago.

For the fertilizer industry, this trend represents an opportunity. It offers careers where innovation meets impact and where success is measured not just in productivity, but in contribution to a sustainable future.

A strong value proposition for a changing world

The competition for talent will only intensify as industries evolve and technologies advance. To succeed, sectors must show how their work connects to the world’s most urgent needs, and few industries are as directly linked to human survival as fertilizer.

For those seeking meaningful careers, this field offers more than stability and growth. It provides the chance to help solve one of humanity’s most enduring challenges: how to feed the world sustainably while protecting the planet.

In the global competition for talent, that combination of purpose, progress, and tangible impact is the fertilizer industry’s greatest strength.

References

Author(s): Claire Newell, Director, Communications & Marketing, IFA