The increasing demand for engineers in the US

It’s no secret that the United States has ambitious plans to rebuild and rejuvenate its infrastructure.  

But where’s the skilled talent going to come from to meet this demand?

I’ve examined the current landscape and potential growth, as well as a few ways companies just like yours can help attract and retain the people you need.

Time for investment

Before his election, one of President Trump’s main campaign promises revolved around increased spending on infrastructure.

It’s easy to understand why he went down this route.

For the past 20 years, the American Society of Civil Engineers has awarded a ‘D’ to America’s infrastructure.

Were this trend to continue, the ASCE estimates the economy would lose almost $4trn in GDP by 2025, making each US household poorer by $3,400 each year.

The good news?

Despite some well-publicised hurdles, it looks like Trump’s plans are starting to come to fruition, or at least partially.

The US President has been busy securing investment for his proposals to “build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation”.

And once more of these projects start getting signed-off there’ll be an even more acute need for engineering labor.

However, decades of underinvestment has had some undesirable knock-on effects.

A lack of marquee developments and excitement around the sector has led to the vicious cycle of skilled workers exiting the talent pool with not enough Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates attracted to .

Growth on the horizon

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 140,000 new engineering jobs are expected to be created by 2026.

Civil engineering is projected to be the biggest growth area with 32,200 new jobs, followed by mechanical engineers (25,300) and industrial engineers (25,100).

These three occupations are expected to account for 36% of the new jobs created.

That ties-in with the infrastructure plans being laid-out by the current Administration and further highlights the need for labor to fill those roles.

3 ways to attract key engineering skills

Engineering is a broad church and different areas will have their own unique requirements

However, there are some universal methods to apply when attracting key skills.

Sell the big challenge

Engineers want to solve problems and be a part of something. When engaging with candidates make sure you get across how they’ll make an impact.

Hire for potential and a willingness to learn

Don’t be put off if someone isn’t the ideal technical fit for a role. If they’re 80% of the way there and they have the right aptitude to learn then your organization has an opportunity to develop them further and in turn foster company loyalty.

Offer clear learning and development pathways

The rapid pace of technological change means there’s a constant need for retraining and development. Companies that invest in fit and proper L&D programs are more likely to stand out from the crowd and prove an attractive to prospective candidates.   

Does your business have access to the talent it needs? I’d love to hear about the projects you’re working on. Give me a call on +1 954 376 0260 or email david.welch@bps-world.com.