Engineering survey reveals growth and pay rises but falling confidence
1 Feb 2017
More than half of engineers surveyed around the world received a pay rise in the last year, with a higher percentage of females benefiting, claims a new report.
But the statistics produced by market research firm Edelman Intelligence for engineering recruitment company Matchtech’s Voice of the Workforce survey, show that, in the UK, there has been a 14% drop in confidence in career progression since 2014.
Keith Lewis, managing director of Matchtech, said: “Last year’s unprecedented political change has led to a drop in confidence amongst engineers. In light of the political events of last year and the ongoing uncertainty it is unsurprising that confidence has fallen.”
More than 2,500 engineers were interviewed for the report during 2016, with UK figures compared against the company’s 2014 Confidence Index study.
Among the new report’s findings are that a slight majority are concerned about the overall implications of Brexit but a minority of respondents feared this would have job implications for them.
Other notable findings from the report reveal:
- 58% think that UK will continue to play a lead in global engineering
- 54% believe their sector will experience growth in the next year
- Budgets, economic outlook and ageing workforces are seen as the biggest threats to growth
- 67% of females received pay rises, compared to 57% of males
- Europe is seen as the leading region for engineering expertise
- More than two thirds believe there is a sector skills shortage
Also interesting from the perspective of investment and talent attraction is the respondents’ perception of which sectors will experience the greatest growth and currently enjoy the best reputation.
Growthwise, renewables are a clear leader with 42% expecting the greatest growth in the sector. Power generation, nuclear build, construction and rail vary from 28-25%.
Renewables also tops the list for reputation with 52% regarding its standing as enhanced in the last 12 months, followed by power generation and rail on 41% and 40%. Oil and gas is bottom of the list with 59% saying its reputation had worsened – considerably more than the next lowest ranked, water and environment on 44%.
Better news for the oil and gas sector is that, while renewables is seen as the most desirable sector to which to transfer (28%), at 20% oil and gas is in a close fourth place behind power generation (21%) and aerospace (21%).
Download a copy of the Matchtech report here
