Technical & Engineering Recruitment Market Commentary – January 2017
In the past quarter we have experienced a marked increase in new enquiries across the board in engineering, especially for product design engineers, CAD drafters and software engineers. Requirements in the manufacturing sector are not as high but they are steady, particularly in the trades sector with many companies looking for fitters and electricians. We believe the new Melbourne underground rail system will have a huge requirement for engineering and trades talent, and will ramp up significantly from March this year.
We are very excited about the prospect of 2017 being a year of increased demand for professionals in all engineering / technical areas.
Following are more specific observations of some of the key engineering and technical markets in which we operate.
Building & Mechanical Services
From the mechanical services contractor side there is strong demand for project managers and service technicians. We continue to look for HVAC technicians with commercial experience, and also domestic. If you are dual trade qualified then all the better. Fire sprinkler fitters are also required.
On the consulting side, the talk around Melbourne is mostly about the new Rail Tunnel project. Apparently, there will be a large number of engineers and tradespeople required for a 3-5 year period. Contract administrators with commercial fitout experience are also sought-after.
Project Management – Market Salary **
Engineering & Drafting
We have seen a large uptick in requirements for mechanical engineers with very strong product design skills and experience, and especially Solidworks expertise. Many companies that we represent are breaking new ground in product development and need design engineers to take concepts through all phases of design and then into manufacture. Typical areas are in solar power, audio products, recreational vehicles and medical devices. Unfortunately we are not experiencing the same requirements in the heavy industry sector.
Interestingly there is solid demand for engineers with automotive experience particularly with body structure, engine calibration and EV. These roles are internationally based. Locally, the automotive aftermarket sector is showing growth in areas such as special purpose vehicle, customised body, add-on components and high performance vehicles.
There is strong demand for architectural and structural drafters in Sydney. Typical applications are commercial and retail as well as industrial developments. Our clients are specifically looking for candidates with proven knowledge in more advanced CAD systems such as REVIT and Tekla.
Mechanical Engineering – Market Salary **
Electrical / Electronic Engineering – Market Salary **
Engineering Management – Market Salary **
Civil / Structural Engineering – Market Salary **
Manufacturing
In our world manufacturing is alive and well, primarily in growing smaller companies in the technology sector. Opportunities in larger organisations seem less so. Surprisingly, parts of the automotive industry are doing well. In particular aftermarket manufacturers in the off-road and SUV area for add-on parts such as canopies and bull bars as well as performance vehicles and custom wheels and carbon fibre components.
Manufacturing Management – Market Salary **
Production, Planning & Scheduling – Market Salary **
Software & Hardware Engineering
Demand for engineers and developers remains high. Clients’ expectations remain high. Supply of talented and highly motivated people is more variable. The usual pre-Christmas rush occurred in December 2016 and the New Year has continued apace.
We continue to have demand for experienced engineers in all sorts of exciting areas of technology – FPGA, VHDL / Verilog, C++, C# and PHP, embedded systems – but the common denominator in all cases (in addition to being technically competent) is attitude, motivation and flexibility. To some extent, we can reiterate what JFK said once “ask not what my country can do for me, but what can I do for my country”. Apply this litmus test to your attitude to your (existing or new) employer and this will go a long way to assist in the mutual endearment process at interview.
We expect a busy and demanding year. We have seen candidates choosing between simultaneous offers and in one case, a candidate verbally accepting but then continuing to keep talking until a better offer came up. This is not the way candidates should operate. If you say ‘yes’, then it’s ‘yes”, and close down all other offers. If you are still keeping your options open, then that’s what you should say.
Software Engineers – Market Salary **
Hardware Engineers – Market Salary **
Programmers & Developers – Market Salary **
** ALL SALARY DATA AND GRAPHS KINDLY SUPPLIED BY SEEK.
