UK engineering sector facing brain drain

London – Four out of five UK engineering professionals are prepared to leave the country and work on projects overseas, according to research from Roevin, a recruitment firm specialising in the engineering sector.

The situation, said Roevin, reflects how pressure is being applied to engineers to be more mobile and consider working abroad as market become more globalised.

In Roevin’s poll, exciting locations and elevated benefits packages were cited as key incentives for UK engineers. Pay was the single biggest draw for working overseas (75%), but a more attractive lifestyle (53%) and valuable work experience (48%) are also significant drivers.

On the other hand, over half of respondents (52%) agreed that the main drawback to working overseas is the absence of family and friends.

However, the research indicates that a real war for talent is developing, as high levels of demand for senior and design engineers continue both globally and in the UK.

Almost a third (29%) of all survey respondents see Asia and the Middle East as the next global hotspots for engineering. Africa and South America are also seen as key areas for growth. As UK engineers are enticed into overseas roles, the UK skills deficit is worsening.

International experience tends to give candidates a huge advantage in the recruitment market, according to Mark Tully, managing director of Roevin. But, he noted, the trend is challenging for businesses as the UK faces a potentially serious skills shortage by 2014.

“There are huge mining projects in Western Australia that are positively impacting on demand in the global engineering sector,” said Tully. Significant salary packages are being offered to attract engineers to work in the outback on projects lasting several years, which is draining the available talent pool in the UK.”

As senior engineers are lured overseas, UK companies increasingly have to rely on innovative retention strategies or bringing their own young talent through.

With fewer STEM educated candidates in the talent pipeline, a more defined and cohesive strategy for attracting candidates into engineering is needed, noted Tully.

There is now, he said, a big opportunity to develop a new generation of engineers, who understand “business vision” and can help bring engineering to life.

The MD concluded by urging the engineering sector to work with the government to re-introduce apprenticeship schemes, invest in youth training and ensure that UK schools and universities understand the importance of engineering.