Brazilian industry faces a paradox. At the same time as it lives with a job market close to full employment, it finds it increasingly difficult to hire qualified professionals. The result is a "blackout" of labor that compromises productivity, reduces the competitiveness of companies and accelerates the need for investments in automation, innovation and professional qualification. The topic will be at the center of the debates at Expo+ Indústria, a fair promoted by the Federation of Industries of Paraná (Fiep), co-hosted by Sesi, Senai and IEL, and which takes place at Expotrade Pinhais, from the 25th to the 27th of August. The event will bring together experts, businesspeople, technology suppliers and representatives from the production sector to discuss solutions capable of preparing the industry for a new development cycle, with production based on automated systems. The challenge is evidenced by data from the International Labor Organization (ILO/ILOSTAT), which measures labor productivity by GDP generated per hour worked. The measurement is evaluated in international dollars, adjusted by purchasing power parity. In estimates for 2025, Ireland leads the world ranking, with US$167.3 per hour worked; and is followed by Luxembourg (US$ 165.3); Channel Islands ($150.53); Guyana (US$146.5); and Norway ($129.23). Brazil, in turn, appears with around US$21 per hour worked, a value around 7.8 times lower than that recorded by Ireland, highlighting the wide gap in productivity in relation to the most productive economies in the world. The difference reveals that the Brazilian challenge is not only in generating jobs, but mainly in producing more value with the same amount of work. For experts, increasing productivity necessarily involves training professionals prepared to operate new technologies, modernizing factories and digitally transforming industrial processes. Fiep's Industrial and Social Development manager, Marcelo Percicotti, explains that companies' resistance to automation is no longer the main obstacle. "Awareness about the need to invest in automation is already significant. In the survey carried out by Fiep at the end of 2025, 76% of industrialists stated that they intend to invest in process and product improvements this year. The greatest difficulty is in accessing credit with adequate rates to finance technological modernization, especially when it involves imported machines and equipment", he highlights. According to him, investing in technology goes far beyond increasing production. "Modernizing means remaining competitive. Automation reduces costs, improves quality, increases energy and water efficiency and strengthens companies' ability to compete in a global market", he reinforces. Jobs exist, but there is a lack of professionals The job market scenario helps to explain the problem. Data from Novo Caged shows that the industry continues to generate vacancies, but at a slower pace. In May 2026, the industry in Paraná created 1,006 formal jobs (with a formal contract), a result 48% lower than that recorded in the previous month and 55% lower than in May 2025. Year-to-date, the balance is positive, with 22,785 vacancies open. But it represents a drop of 24.5% compared to the same period last year. Although the numbers indicate a slowdown in job creation, they do not mean a reduction in demand for professionals. On the contrary. Many vacancies remain open precisely because of the difficulty in finding workers with the skills required by the new industry. Percicotti emphasizes that technological advances should not be seen as a threat to employment. "We practically live in a situation of full employment. Automation does not eliminate jobs. It allows workers to be reallocated to functions where there is a lack of people, both within the industry itself and in other sectors of the economy", he adds. Technology and qualifications go hand in hand The digital transformation of the industry requires new skills. Robot operation, artificial intelligence, data analysis, predictive maintenance and systems integration are part of the routine in modern factories. At the same time, companies need to train leaders capable of driving innovation processes and promoting constant team updating. Another piece of data from the Fiep survey reveals that around 60% of entrepreneurs intend to use their own resources to invest in new technologies, a reflection of the high cost of productive credit in the country. Still, the predominant perception is that modernization is no longer a competitive differentiator but has become a condition for survival. Expo+ Indústria invests in solutions to increase productivity In this context, Expo+ Indústria appears as an environment for connecting industry, technology, education and innovation. The fair's program will bring together experts to discuss topics such as automation, artificial intelligence, industry 4.0, digital transformation, professional training, sustainability, industrial management and increased productivity. Automation reduces costs, improves quality and increases industry competitiveness. Gelson Bampi. More than debating the shortage of labor, Expo+ Indústria aims to show that productivity and employability go hand in hand. In an increasingly technological industrial environment, investing in people continues to be as strategic as investing in machines. ILO data reinforce this reality: the most productive economies in the world are precisely those that have managed to combine innovation, professional qualifications and investment-friendly environments. For Brazilian industry, reducing this gap inevitably involves training talents capable of boosting the competitiveness and sustainable growth of the sector. The complete program and registration are available at https://www.expomaisindustria.com.br/?utm_campaign=Expo_mais_industria&utm_source=g1&utm_medium=publieditorial&utm_term=Expo%2Bind%C3%BAstria&utm_content=apagao_mao--de-obra