Civil Engineers, Design Engineers and Rail Engineers are just three skills in high demand as major projects generate temporary and permanent recruitment activity in the engineering sector. But recruiting expert Hays warns employers that if they want to attract and retain the top engineers they need to offer work-life balance.
According to the latest
Hays Quarterly Report of skills in demand, major highway and rail infrastructure projects in NSW, Victoria and the ACT are generating high levels of temporary and permanent recruitment across a number of roles in these locations.
Hays Engineering also notes that the awarding of major infrastructure projects is generating business for associated industries and services boosting employment demand for certain roles such as Transport Planners.
But while this activity is creating permanent and temporary jobs in these areas, candidates are looking for roles offering work-life balance.
As
Adam Shapley, Senior Regional Director of Hays Engineering explains, “Many engineering professionals have been overworked in recent times. We have candidates coming to us who have been clocking working weeks of up to 78 hours and are now looking for less intense, smaller projects to gain a better work-life balance.
“We are also seeing more candidates prepared to move out of big cities if it means improving their lifestyle.”
Along with the toll of lengthy overtime, candidates are also looking for work-life because they understand that employers cannot offer high salaries. “Despite the shortage of candidates in many areas, employers are not in a position to pay top end salaries to attract talent because they have to reduce their profit margin when bidding on work in order to win contracts,” says Adam.
Megan Motto, Chief Executive of Consult Australia, the industry association for firms consulting in the built environment observes: “As a barometer for the construction industry our firms reflect the patchwork economy now active across much of Australia. While some sections of the industry are suffering from a surplus of skills, firms should not use this as a reason to become complacent in managing their talent.
”Getting the right people to fill project-critical hub roles remains critical for firm competitiveness. With a strong pipeline of work in some states underpinning a weaker outlook elsewhere, the need to retain key skills and develop a skills strategy that takes a longer-term view is more important than ever.”
Skills in demand
In terms of skills in demand, Hays Engineering says Rail Engineers with track signalling or electrification experience are needed at the moment.
Civil Engineers, Civil Designers (12d and MX) and MX Designers are in demand too for road and highway infrastructure project activity.
Transport Planners are in increasing demand as higher traffic and transport volumes create the need for more research and analytics.
On the building front, Hays Engineering note that professionals in demand include Structural Design Engineers with Australian building experience, Civil and Structural Engineers (Buildings) for urban and land development projects, and Civil Drafters for sub-division and building-related civil works.
Employers are also looking for Revit skills for many roles but are struggling to find candidates with the right software skills including self-sufficient Architects and Drafters. Revit Modellers are in particular demand for ongoing building services contracts.
Hays Engineering also note that design consultancies are on the hunt for Design Engineers, ideally with road project experience plus strong IT/design systems experience.
Finally, the recruiter expects to see more roles come online associated with renewable energy in light of the Federal Government’s more supportive attitude to the sector coupled with the success of the recent Paris Climate Summit. Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) Consultants are already in increasing demand given conditions for the renewable energy sector.
To see the full list of skills in demand and trends for your industry, please visit
www.hays.com.au/report and click on Engineering.
Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.
For further information please contact Lucy Sharp, Regional Head of Marketing at Hays, on +61 2 8226 9885 or
[email protected]