Ned Curic urges global engineering talent pathways
Ned Curic urges global engineering talent pathways
Anonymous
Key Points
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Curic’s earlier career included a stint in “Engineering Systems at Northrop Grumman in 1996,” followed by Microsoft roles that “covered consulting, product, security and advisory work.”
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In Toyota’s connected-vehicle efforts, Curic became “Co-founder, Executive Vice President, Technical Director and Board Member of Toyota Connected” in 2015—more detailed than simply noting automotive/connected-vehicle leadership.
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Curic joined Amazon specifically as “Vice President of Alexa Automotive in June 2017,” tying the software/AI theme to a defined role within automotive-focused voice/assistant technology.
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The announcements were issued with a named setting and timing: they were published from New York City on “September 3, 2026,” framing Curic’s remarks as part of an active, contemporary push to build engineering-talent pathways for software- and AI-driven product development.
Ned Curic, a technology leader on Stellantis' leadership team, is calling for urgent action to prepare engineers for a new world of product development. Herald Dispatch reports that Curic warns the skills gap is widening fast—products today demand coordination of software, hardware, data, and AI across entire lifecycles, not just mastery of individual technologies.
Curic points to findings from the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, which shows employers expect a large share of skills to become outdated and most workers will need retraining by 2030. Inside Nova notes that Curic's own career—spanning engineering systems at Northrop Grumman, roles at Microsoft, and connected-vehicle leadership—illustrates how dramatically the engineering landscape has shifted.
Software and AI Are Reshaping Product Development
The days of building separate hardware and software components are over. Manchester Journal reports that modern products now require deeply integrated systems. Engineers must understand how to weave software, data analytics, and artificial intelligence into physical products from day one—from concept through validation to manufacturing.
This shift demands new skills. Curic emphasizes that coordination across disciplines now matters more than depth in any single technology. Teams must think about software security, AI training data, hardware compatibility, and real-world testing all at once. The complexity spans global supply chains and distributed development teams.
Curic's Career Shows the Evolution of Engineering
Curic's path through technology leadership reveals the transformation firsthand. He started in Engineering Systems at Northrop Grumman in 1996, then moved to Microsoft where he worked on consulting, product, security, and advisory roles. These roles exposed him to the breadth required in modern tech.
His automotive work deepened the picture. In 2015, Curic became Co-founder, Executive Vice President, Technical Director, and Board Member of Toyota Connected. Then in June 2017, he joined Amazon as Vice President of Alexa Automotive—leading voice and AI integration into vehicles. The Rogersville Review notes these roles illustrate how software and AI have become central to the automotive industry itself.
The Skills Gap Demands Global Action Now
The World Economic Forum's 2025 report paints an urgent picture. Most employers expect major skills to become outdated within years, not decades. Retraining will be unavoidable. Yet engineering education globally still emphasizes traditional disciplines over integrated, software-first thinking.
Curic's call from New York City on September 3, 2026, frames this as an active, contemporary crisis. Universities, employers, and governments must build new pathways. Engineers need hands-on experience with AI, cloud systems, and hardware integration early in their careers. Without deliberate action, the gap will widen faster than talent can fill it.
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