Report: Global Demand for Engineers Growing

According to a report by business intelligence firm, Wanted Analytics, In the United States alone, in the month of September, there were more than 184,000 jobs advertised online for engineering professionals. The volume of listings was up 12 percent compared to those the year-earlier and 27 percent against the same time period in 2010. The engineering positions in the greatest demand are mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, manufacturing engineer, quality engineer and project engineer.

According to the report, although seasonal trends may be starting to affect hiring demand downward, employers are still likely to recruit engineers as one of the most in-demand STEM fields. As the field of engineering evolves, the skills required of potential candidates will also change. In addition to the more traditional engineering skills and certifications, several technologies are often specified in engineering ads, especially computer-aided design (CAD). The number of ads seeking candidates with CAD knowledge or experience is up 14 percent year-over-year.

Demand for engineers is spread across globe. In Brazil, there is a shortage of people with these skill sets, especially physical engineers and geophysical engineers. In Southeast Asia, the most acute shortage is for engineers in the oil and gas field. In the US, the highest volumes of listings during September were seen in Houston, Los Angeles, Detroit, New York, and Chicago. The Houston metro area realized the greatest year-over-year growth, up 34 percent from the year-earlier period.

Moreover, Wanted expects the time-to-fill to lengthen. As employers increase hiring demand for engineers, they are likely to experience more competition and an increased difficulty filling open positions. According to the Wanted¹s hiring scale, employers throughout the US spend an average of 6.5 weeks advertising jobs and sourcing candidates for engineering positions. In some areas, where the competition is the fiercest, engineering position ads remain online for an average of nine weeks.
www.wantedanalytics.com