What Are the Challenges for Engineering Jobs Now?
Know the Obstacles Ahead, and Plan
Hiring for engineering jobs is a major challenge for businesses today.
The engineering landscape is changing drastically. For your organization to survive and excel, it must also change in line with the innovation and volatility within industry. What are the challenges the changing environment has created today, and how will they impact the talent you need?
Demand for Engineers Is Growing
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook, the job outlook for engineering is in line with the average expectations for the U.S. economy.
However, looking at some sectors – particularly in more tech-based engineering roles – demand is much higher than the average 4%. Industrial engineering, for example, is at a much faster outlook rate of 10% from 2019 to 2029.
It’s going to be tough hiring the most talented people when demand is high and increasing. Which leads us to the next challenge.
Lack of Skilled Engineers
For many years, engineering has suffered from a shortage of good, qualified engineers. And it doesn’t appear as though we’re set to recover from this damaging deceleration in emerging engineering skills.
A report from the Deloitte Manufacturing Institute has forecast that the current skills gap will leave 2.4 million unfilled positions between 2018 and 2028. This is a very worrying prediction that we all must face up to by ensuring hiring strategies are executed rigorously and invested in with the manpower and resources required.
The most talented engineers will demand excellent pay and work culture. You must review your:
- Hiring process
- Job description
- Perks and benefits
- Employer brand
- In-house training and development
to ensure that you obtain and maintain the most talented engineers for your company to thrive.
A Retiring Workforce
An issue that is further diluting the skills available in engineering is the impending retirement of baby boomers. A study by the Pew Research Center reported that by the third quarter of 2020, approximately 28.6 million baby boomers left the job market and retired. The pandemic was calculated as a major contributor to an increase of 1.1 million Boomer-aged retirees filing for exit.
The industry needs new, young talent qualified in cutting-edge technology to enter the market, but the loss of many skilled workers from retirement is leaving an already shallow pool of talent even drier – especially in mid- to senior-level roles.
Automation in Engineering
The use of automation has long been misconceived as a human impersonator, putting employees out of work. This could not be further from the truth. Automation is being used increasingly in engineering, to support, create, and enhance engineering jobs globally. It is becoming the catalyst for the economic growth of the United States. Benefits of automation include:
- Powered innovation
- Higher-quality results/products
- Improved maintenance, meaning reduced costs and errors
- Enriched career focus for engineers, removing mundane tasks
McKinsey also reported a prediction that automation could increase global productivity by 0.8% to 1.4% annually. Key to boosting your productivity is to hire skilled engineers who embrace AI, robotics, and automation processes.
Cybersecurity
The cost of cybercrime has risen by 50%, to $6 trillion globally, according to Study International. Consequently, the number of jobs in this sphere is expected to grow by 31% by 2029.
Again, the lack of skills to fill this demand will leave you struggling to locate and hire the talent you need for your cybersecurity. The hiring strategies that you employ must be designed to meet this challenge.
The Need for Engineers Who Design and Build
President Biden plans to strengthen the U.S. manufacturing sector following the economic downturn induced by the pandemic, with an executive order dubbed ‘Made in America’ – with a $300 billion investment in R&D and advanced technology, and the creation of 5 million manufacturing and innovation jobs.
When hiring for engineering jobs, you must seek self-starters who thrive on the design and build aspect of the products themselves, providing the tools and resources to enable them to do so. Such employer cultures will attract the most experienced and innovative engineers to your doors.
Your Staffing Solution for Engineering jobs
Everest Recruiting is your solution to finding the skills you need, as and when you need them. Hiring for engineering jobs will always have its challenges, particularly at present as the United States pumps all its efforts into recovering from the suffocating pandemic.
We have the expertise and nurtured talent pool of skilled workers to fulfil your business needs. We can offer various contracts that suit your financial budget and deadlines, so that you can adjust your staffing levels accordingly to flourish innovatively and financially.
Get in touch today. Tell us your business goals. We’ll help you achieve them and overcome any challenges with the skills force you need.
