Officials in Europe and elsewhere are looking at the idea of implementing Elon Musk’s "hyperloop" idea to revolutionize the future of transportation. 

One route being considered would link to Madrid to Tangier. According to reports, the Spain-Morocco connection is now being considered as part of the Hyperloop One Global Challenge. To accommodate this design, the hyperloop bullet train would have to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. Designers have engineered a submarine floating tunnel for this purpose.

Achieving the Spain-Morocco connection would promote vibrant trade and cultural interaction between the two continents. Luis Gonzalez Lorenzo at Spanish newspaper El Independiente, quoted in Moroccan World News, calls Africa “the continent of the future” and the city of Tangiers “a center of trade and development.”

All of this intended innovation brings questions about how the Spain-Morocco hyperlink project would impact both economies.

There is going to be an obvious demand for technical skills such as transportation and software engineering,” Joe Carella, assistant dean of executive education at the University of Arizona, told Maghreb News Wire on Oct. 19. 

Carella said these types of trends are now evident in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“That can prove to be a double edged sword, as it will likely increase the salary of the most qualified and desirable talent,” Carella said.

In describing the labor processes needed to set up hyperloop designs, Carella stressed the value of “good old-fashioned leadership.” 

“Our research tells us that the most successful infrastructure projects are those where the most senior executives were agile thinkers and outstanding collaborators,” Carella said.

Referring to the planners in the United Arab Emirates, where hyperloop is closer to implementation, Carella said it's important to look at how hyperloop will interact with other types of travel.

“It is important that they consider how the new infrastructure will connect to other modes of transportations and the hubs it will create,” Carella said. “A much-needed skill in this sense is the one offered by economic developers and entrepreneurs. Each city affected by this project will do well if they bring together their best talent in this areas to envisage how their community will benefit from the investment and expanded access to other regions.”