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G p ag nirenig n Ee htg ni l l iF Danielle Bullen
February 4, 2013
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In January, Engineers Canada reported that 95,000 engineers are expected to retire by 2020. The report predicts that there will not be enough skilled engineers to make up for the loss. Is it time to sound the alarm? Maybe. But then again, there are some bright spots in the engineering economy. The gap will eventually be filled by today’s entry-level engineers. In order to fulfill that role, they’re going to need to be better prepared. As a Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant for international engineering consulting firm AECOM (Canada West), Kate Davies sees many resumes cross her desk. She observes that new engineering grads in Canada often lack both critical thinking and soft skills, like teamwork and reliability. “They all want to move up the ladder in a short time,” Davies says. While that is by no means indicative of all early career professionals, a willingness to learn is valued in creating the next generation of skilled engineers. As for critical thinking, recently universities have begun emphasizing it by involving students in more problem-solving, both alone and on teams. Davies’ colleague, Max Pons, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager (Canada Central), expands on the idea. He praises universities for teaching engineering fundamentals, but says, “The unique skill sets that these young engineers bring to the table aren’t always applicable to real-world projects.” Firms want to hire people who can hit the ground running from the first day and that’s not always the case with newly-minted engineers. The daily running of an engineering firm is often far from what they expected and business concepts like “utilization” and “margin” can be overwhelming at first. Shawn Paulson, Director, Practice Recruitment Services at Stantec, believes one
solution to better preparing students is hands-on work while in school. Paulson says, “I believe universities can help by assisting the students with co-op programs that allow them to be exposed to hands on experience.” While new grads are certainly in demand, experienced professionals in their 30s and 40s are the most desired. Seeking international talent is one way Canadian companies can fill the need for experienced engineers. Davies says, “We encourage talent across the globe.” AECOM has a global mobility team to help human resources with the extra paperwork when recruiting outside the country. Stantec also believes that hiring internationally is a team effort. “Companies who have that vision and perspective have more success with hiring internationally than the rest,” explains Paulson. Pons has a slightly different take. “Relocation is always challenging because we are susceptible to timing, compliance, legal and budgetary considerations. There are sometimes cultural sensitivities at play and the logistics involved with facilitating an international move can be significant,” he explains. Although hiring locally is preferred, certain jobs require skill sets that require recruiters to widen their search.” Within Canada there is a marked regional difference in job outlooks. Western provinces are a hotbed for mining and oil related jobs. “I believe that the West has a different perspective and is more diverse in their economy,” explains Paulson. If a certain sector is weak, another one will gain momentum. Paulson credits the government for some successes, citing the low tax rate in Alberta as an attractive incentive to corporations. Yet, “every region has its own industries they can develop on,” Paulson adds. Large Eastern cities are draws for building projects, and mining jobs are spread throughout the country. For her part, Davies believes the West will continue to have ample opportunities. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are all rich in oil, gas, and metals, which are driving economic growth,” she explains. British Columbia, for example, leads the nation in the development of green jobs, like wastewater technology, environmental assessments, and green building design. Firms like AECOM are not the only ones competing for limited resources. Davies says, “It’s a challenge to share the talent pool with the energy companies and other consulting firms whether seeking a new graduate or a seasoned engineer.”
There are also differences in the job outlook for different types of engineering. According to the report, civil, mechanical, and electronic engineers are predicted to have the greatest percentages of labor force loss between now and 2020. Davies, however, recommends students look into petroleum, environmental, and structural engineering. “These fields have been growing since 2001, especially with energy companies tapping into oil and gas resource, design and build, and environmental activities which span all across Canada,” says Davies. Read the full report here.
Author: Danielle Bullen Danielle Bullen is writer based out of the Philadelphia area. She has a diverse background, including writing about the environment, health care, education, and Gen Y issues. When she's not writing, you can find her practicing yoga and running her book club.
Tags: canada, employment, engineering Categories: Careers News
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The 2013 Canadian Environmental Conference & Tradeshow (CANECT)
APR
International Centre 6900 Airport Rd. Mississauga 09:00 AM
05 MAY
08
CIM Toronto 2013 – Mining & Metallurgy Metro Toronto Convention Centre 255 Front Street West - Toronto 09:00 AM
ISARC 2013 Montreal – Engineering Construction Event
NOV
Palais des congrès de Montréal 12:00 AM
STNEM M OC TNECER Ozzie on Vale Shaves Clean AER, SNC to Redeploy Employees Ryan on Aecon & Somerville Awarded $100M Pipeline Contract charlie Ketcheson on Legacy On Schedule for K+S Potash Co-op Faculty of Engineering and Design on 5 Ways Co-op Students Can Get Ahead EPCM Admin on Inmet, First Quantum talk Cobre Panama
PU ORG NIDEKNI L RU O
STEW ET RU OW OLLOF How do you think #FirstQuantum's takeover of
#Inmet will effect #SNC, currently leading #EPCM work on #CobrePanama? http://t.co/ivFxhRzcH0 02:32:06 PM March 12, 2013 from HootSuite Ontario approves first Source Protection Plan under the #CleanWaterAct; read more and learn about #CANECT2013 too http://t.co/fWtn10cBc0 01:10:28 PM March 12, 2013 from HootSuite
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A Network for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management Industry MENU
Home
W E S N
G p ag nirenig n Ee htg ni l l iF Danielle Bullen
February 4, 2013
Careers News
0 comments | Leave
comment
In January, Engineers Canada reported that 95,000 engineers are expected to retire by 2020. The report predicts that there will not be enough skilled engineers to make up for the loss. Is it time to sound the alarm? Maybe. But then again, there are some bright spots in the engineering economy. The gap will eventually be filled by today’s entry-level engineers. In order to fulfill that role, they’re going to need to be better prepared. As a Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant for international engineering consulting firm AECOM (Canada West), Kate Davies sees many resumes cross her desk. She observes that new engineering grads in Canada often lack both critical thinking and soft skills, like teamwork and reliability. “They all want to move up the ladder in a short time,” Davies says. While that is by no means indicative of all early career professionals, a willingness to learn is valued in creating the next generation of skilled engineers. As for critical thinking, recently universities have begun emphasizing it by involving students in more problem-solving, both alone and on teams. Davies’ colleague, Max Pons, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager (Canada Central), expands on the idea. He praises universities for teaching engineering fundamentals, but says, “The unique skill sets that these young engineers bring to the table aren’t always applicable to real-world projects.” Firms want to hire people who can hit the ground running from the first day and that’s not always the case with newly-minted engineers. The daily running of an engineering firm is often far from what they expected and business concepts like “utilization” and “margin” can be overwhelming at first. Shawn Paulson, Director, Practice Recruitment Services at Stantec, believes one
solution to better preparing students is hands-on work while in school. Paulson says, “I believe universities can help by assisting the students with co-op programs that allow them to be exposed to hands on experience.” While new grads are certainly in demand, experienced professionals in their 30s and 40s are the most desired. Seeking international talent is one way Canadian companies can fill the need for experienced engineers. Davies says, “We encourage talent across the globe.” AECOM has a global mobility team to help human resources with the extra paperwork when recruiting outside the country. Stantec also believes that hiring internationally is a team effort. “Companies who have that vision and perspective have more success with hiring internationally than the rest,” explains Paulson. Pons has a slightly different take. “Relocation is always challenging because we are susceptible to timing, compliance, legal and budgetary considerations. There are sometimes cultural sensitivities at play and the logistics involved with facilitating an international move can be significant,” he explains. Although hiring locally is preferred, certain jobs require skill sets that require recruiters to widen their search.” Within Canada there is a marked regional difference in job outlooks. Western provinces are a hotbed for mining and oil related jobs. “I believe that the West has a different perspective and is more diverse in their economy,” explains Paulson. If a certain sector is weak, another one will gain momentum. Paulson credits the government for some successes, citing the low tax rate in Alberta as an attractive incentive to corporations. Yet, “every region has its own industries they can develop on,” Paulson adds. Large Eastern cities are draws for building projects, and mining jobs are spread throughout the country. For her part, Davies believes the West will continue to have ample opportunities. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are all rich in oil, gas, and metals, which are driving economic growth,” she explains. British Columbia, for example, leads the nation in the development of green jobs, like wastewater technology, environmental assessments, and green building design. Firms like AECOM are not the only ones competing for limited resources. Davies says, “It’s a challenge to share the talent pool with the energy companies and other consulting firms whether seeking a new graduate or a seasoned engineer.”
There are also differences in the job outlook for different types of engineering. According to the report, civil, mechanical, and electronic engineers are predicted to have the greatest percentages of labor force loss between now and 2020. Davies, however, recommends students look into petroleum, environmental, and structural engineering. “These fields have been growing since 2001, especially with energy companies tapping into oil and gas resource, design and build, and environmental activities which span all across Canada,” says Davies. Read the full report here.
Author: Danielle Bullen Danielle Bullen is writer based out of the Philadelphia area. She has a diverse background, including writing about the environment, health care, education, and Gen Y issues. When she's not writing, you can find her practicing yoga and running her book club.
Tags: canada, employment, engineering Categories: Careers News
ylpe Rae vaeL Name
Website
Post Comment
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T
W
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19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
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31
stneve gnm iocp U
29
The 2013 Canadian Environmental Conference & Tradeshow (CANECT)
APR
International Centre 6900 Airport Rd. Mississauga 09:00 AM
05 MAY
08
CIM Toronto 2013 – Mining & Metallurgy Metro Toronto Convention Centre 255 Front Street West - Toronto 09:00 AM
ISARC 2013 Montreal – Engineering Construction Event
NOV
Palais des congrès de Montréal 12:00 AM
STNEM M OC TNECER Ozzie on Vale Shaves Clean AER, SNC to Redeploy Employees Ryan on Aecon & Somerville Awarded $100M Pipeline Contract charlie Ketcheson on Legacy On Schedule for K+S Potash Co-op Faculty of Engineering and Design on 5 Ways Co-op Students Can Get Ahead EPCM Admin on Inmet, First Quantum talk Cobre Panama
PU ORG NIDEKNI L RU O
STEW ET RU OW OLLOF How do you think #FirstQuantum's takeover of
#Inmet will effect #SNC, currently leading #EPCM work on #CobrePanama? http://t.co/ivFxhRzcH0 02:32:06 PM March 12, 2013 from HootSuite Ontario approves first Source Protection Plan under the #CleanWaterAct; read more and learn about #CANECT2013 too http://t.co/fWtn10cBc0 01:10:28 PM March 12, 2013 from HootSuite
Follow @epcmworld
381 followers
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