Big engineering firms may find it more difficult to attract talent these days as workers are less inclined to work for them, according to the 2017 Randstad Employer Brand Research, a global survey of more than 160,000 working-age people in 26 countries. Only one-quarter want to work for a big company, and those figures are even lower in North America (18%) and Europe (20%). A disparity also exists among different generations, with 27% of those age 18 to 34 preferring to work for a large organization and only 20% among workers 45 to 65.
This is just one of the challenges facing companies needing a variety engineering skills. Consider this: among the top five sectors researched by Randstad, engineering is ranked last, slightly lower than others such as technology, IT, pharmaceutical/life sciences and automotive. Another concern for employers: three-quarters of engineering workers surveyed are open to working in other sectors. Nearly 80% of those 25 to 44 years old said they would consider switching.
Add in the fact that talent scarcity is rising, and it’s easy to see how many employers are under pressure to enhance its recruiting capabilities through either internal investments or outsourced solutions. Whatever the answer, companies are running out of time as a confluence of factors is leading to longer fill times and more unfilled engineering jobs throughout the sector.
Engineering companies know these problems first hand, but what can they do about it? Some are aggressively enhancing their employer brand to attract workers to both the sector and their organization. “Engineering isn’t well understood. People don’t know what we do so I think we have more work to do to help them understand it,” says Rachel Schroeder, who heads up employment marketing for Airbus and its parent company Airbus Group.
how can your business take advantage of these insights?
Employers are better positioned to attract engineering talent with greater insights into their preferences and leveraging this information. To learn more about developments in the engineering labor market and findings reported in the 2017 Randstad Employer Brand Research, download our special engineering sector report here.