As the demand for engineering talent continues to increase, employers struggle to find candidates with the work experience they need, according to the Engineering Talent Supply and Demand survey released by Experis, a division of ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN).
The survey found 82% of engineering employers have difficulty filling engineering roles. While 92% of these plan to hire engineers this year, 20% lack confidence that they will be able to find the engineering talent they need for their businesses. The survey found the top five hiring challenges are:
- Lack of experience
- Lack of applicants
- Lack of hard job skills/technical skills
- Salary demands too high
- Lack of soft skills/workplace competencies
Mechanical engineers ranked highest on the list of the most in-demand engineers, up from No. 5 on the list last year. The survey reports the top five hiring needs:
- Mechanical engineers
- Electrical engineers
- Manufacturing engineers
- Chemical engineers
- Control systems engineers
"With the boomer generation rapidly retiring and not enough STEM graduates entering the workforce there are great opportunities out there for people with the right skills to advance,” said Rich Hutchings, Experis’ VP, engineering. “At the moment we see this imbalanced situation where 95% of engineering employers plan to hire this year, but less than a quarter are confident they’ll actually find the people they need.”
From the candidate side, 51% of the engineers surveyed report feeling satisfied or extremely satisfied in their current position. However, 41% of professional engineers will still actively seek new positions in 2016, and 28% may look for new jobs or explore what’s available. Only 12% said they were not likely to change positions, and 19% intend to stay in their current position.
Engineers also shared their top considerations when seeking a new position. Increased salary, bonuses, and/or incentives remain at the top of the list. Notably, access to any or better health benefits rose to No. 2 on the list in 2016 from No. 6 in 2015.
- Salary, bonuses and/or incentives
- Health benefits
- Work/life balance
- Work environment/ culture
- Professional training and career development
The online survey was conducted from Jan. 19 through Jan. 27, 2016. It included 700 engineers and 70 employers who hire engineers within their organizations.
