Engineering salaries are on the up, particularly in the renewables and nuclear sectors where remuneration is higher than in the oil and gas sector.
This was just one of many findings gleaned from The Engineer’s 2019 salary survey, which found engineering salaries increasing across the board.
The energy sector faces the dual challenge of ensuring security of supply whilst helping the transition to a zero-carbon economy, and renewables are increasingly helping to achieve these dual aims. But what is the best way to attract new talent into the seemingly healthy renewables sector when the engineering profession as a whole is constantly warning of skills shortages across its many subdivisions?
For 45 per cent of poll respondents, the answer can be found in the renewable energy sector increasing its focus on young people, followed by 32 per cent who think the focus should be on skills transfer from other sectors. Just under a fifth (19 per cent) agree that nothing needs to be done as engineers will go where there’s money to be made, and the remaining four per cent opted for recruiting the right skills from overseas.
In the comments that followed, Melanie Osborne said: “The industry must focus on recruiting the next generation. Engineering is already struggling to recruit the 200,000 engineers needed annually. Poaching talent from elsewhere is only kicking the problem down the road.”
For Chris Oates-Miller, protected status for engineers would help boost the number of young engineers, and Dale suggested making energy technology in the UK rather than buying from overseas.
What do you think? Let us know using Comments below.
I picked the “focus on young” option, school leavers need a better option than heading to overpriced university courses. An influx of quality apprentices can drive the sector at all levels for years to come
I have just passed my Honours degree with the Open University and would love to get into this field
Is there anywhere in Somerset that Are taking on?
The industry must focus on recruiting the next generation. Engineering is already struggling to recruit the 200,000 engineers needed annually. Poaching talent from elsewhere is only kicking the problem down the road.
This seems to be a good reference document: https://www.engineeringuk.com/media/1576/7444_enguk18_synopsis_standalone_aw.pdf – and supports Ms Osborne’s 200,000 figure. I’d also be interested to know what % of engineering graduates are UK nationals – and so likely to enter the UK job market – and how many overseas students, who may not …
The answer I was looking for was not included.
Stop buying overseas and make the stuff ourselves.
Dale, something like the ‘Make America Great’ campaign orchestrated by Mr. Trump, We could have the ‘Put the Great back into Britain’ I’d back that. And while we’re at it lets have Protected Status for engineers, that alone would boost the numbers of young engineers, but don’t get me started.
I think growing the talent pool requires concentration on the physical sciences (both syllabus and teaching at school) part of STEM; making it easier to learn and more interesting, than it is now.
I do believe, however, that learning is not just for the young and that there should be additional routes into the profession and access to learning – not necessarily relying on a piece of paper to say one can do the job
Dale’s comment and thinking is very sound: but almost totally at odds with the thinking of those who believe they are Right. A society whose primary activity is selling ‘stuff’ they neither own, made or grew: that rewards most those who fight others disputes, or count-up the numbers after the event(s) of commerce, diddling HMG of taxes properly due, or who ‘insure’ (a bet you hope you lose) or lend money which is not theirs even able to change the price after the ‘contract’ is made: whose livelihoods depend on that conflict, not its outcome, or who jeer, smear, sneer as they comment but offer no solutions….or who cover everything that we all do with regulations, or ‘act as leeches on the jugular of innovation….! ‘ its small wonder that now 80+ % of our so called economy is the so-cal;led ‘services’ I describe above. Jumped-up clerks have now gained complete control -and they are shortly (if present predictions are correct) to be led and encouraged by an individual described as a buffoon, even by most of his supporters. Your world? you are welcome to it!
LOL https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Backing_Britain
Well said!