The engineering/design staffing segment has been in recovery mode since hitting a low of -22% median growth in May 2020. For the first time since the pandemic began, participants in the February 2021 Pulse Survey Report, which looks at January data, did not report negative growth in engineering. Revenue was flat year over year (median 0%) compared to a median -4% for engineering staffing firms in the previous month’s survey. In February, a net 55% of participants reported an increasing trend in new orders over the last three months (compared to 14% in the previous month), and a net 75% expect an increasing trend over the next six months (59% in the previous month).
The March 2021 US Jobs Report shows that there were 589,000 individuals employed in the natural resource/mining industry in the US in February 2021, a decline of 14.64% from February 2020.
As part of the “Professional Staffing – Exploring the World Beyond IT and Healthcare” session at SIA’s annual Executive Forum North America, Airswift CEO Janette Marx shared insights on engineering and energy staffing. She explained that 2020 saw cost reductions across engineering, and the pandemic sped up the industry diversification that was already happening. Direct hire has been a recent bright spot at her company, with strong growth in the fourth quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021.
Marx explained that about 70% of her company’s staff were working from home and 30% were working on a hybrid basis, and she expects this flexibility to continue in the industry. Many engineering placements are now made through local delivery centers across different geographies, which have recruiters who speak the language and understand the culture of talent in specific regions. For best practices on managing remote staff in the staffing industry, see this report.
Marx explained that there is positivity as hiring increases in 2021, but success this year will depend largely on vaccines. Additionally, a recovery in engineering is also dependent on specialty (for example, energy will take longer) and geography.
If you missed the 30th annual Executive Forum North America, there is still an opportunity to access 30 sessions from 100 speakers on demand for a limited time. Learn more by contacting memberservices@staffingindustry.com.
