According to a new report from Hays Engineering, engineers require environmentally sustainable design knowledge, expertise in technology such as GPS positioning and drones, and a willingness to continuously ask questions to remain employable.
The report, The Modern Engineer: What it Takes to Succeed, surveyed 340 engineers and held 13 in-depth interviews with industry leaders to identify what makes a modern engineer.
Of those surveyed, 72 per cent expected to add to their skills through up-skilling on the job and 44 per cent saying 3D modelling skills are important because they say 2D skills will lose their relevance.
Despite the rise in the latest technologies, only 34 per cent of engineers interviewed used GPS positioning. Likewise with survey equipment (21 per cent), drones (10 per cent) and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools (9 per cent).
The majority of engineers said renewable and alternative energy will have the biggest impact on the engineering industry (86 per cent), followed by city expansion, water management and population control.
The overwhelming majority (92 per cent) also expressed that they wanted to take more ownership of the building process.
“Automation and artificial intelligence threaten to make many of the traditional and base level skills of engineers redundant (at least to a degree),” writes Megan Motto, CEO of Consult Australia, in the report’s foreword.
“Both engineers and employers (need) to consider areas for personal and organisational development to ensure they have the right skills to remain relevant in the future,” she notes.
Adam Shapley, Senior Regional Director of Hays Engineering, says engineers who want to do their job effectively in the coming years need to be across environmentally sustainable design and life-cycle assessment.
“They must upskill in the latest technology tools, including GPS positioning, survey equipment, drones, AR and VR, and they must ensure their technical foundation remains strong.
“Entry-level candidates need a strong technical foundation as well as mathematical ability, while more experienced candidates need to gain a high level of emotional intelligence and social skills. I believe that to be successful, today’s engineer must demonstrate an appetite and aptitude to learn quickly and ask questions to keep their knowledge current.”
The research also showed some key insights for employers with 76 per cent of engineers saying the quality of a practice’s work has the greatest influence when considering a new job.
For 68 per cent, that work quality also retains them, followed by a competitive salary (63 per cent) and work-life balance (58 per cent).
“When looking to attract and retain engineers, it’s important to promote the quality of work your practice produces, offer clear career paths and provide continuous on-the-job training across all levels since this is how people want to gain the skills they need,” said Mr. Shapley.
“Employers are also advised to offer flexible working arrangements or part-time hours, make soft skills part of your selection criteria, and remember that software skills can be taught and should not hinder the hiring of an otherwise ideal candidate.”