Engineering named as most attractive sector to work in, knocking IT off the top sport for the first time in four years.
New research from HR services company Randstad has revealed that engineering has knocked IT and Communications (ITC) off the top spot as the most desirable sector to work in.
ITC has fallen to third place after four years in the number one position in Randstad’s Employer Brand Research (REBR) which surveys the sentiments of 163,000 working age people across 16 sectors and 31 markets.
The news comes as employers across all sectors are struggling to hire and retain talent, with 70% of all workers open to new job opportunities. The pandemic had also led to employees reprioritising work in their lives with nearly half (48%) saying they would quit their job if it was preventing them from enjoying life and a third (34%) saying they have left a role because it didn’t fit within their personal life.
In a talent-scarce, competitive market, ITC – which includes roles such as technology services managers, software developers, and telecommunications technicians – has been knocked off the top spot for the most attractive industry for workers. Meanwhile, 60% of respondents said that they would be willing to work in engineering – a 10% jump from 2021. This includes careers such as civil engineers supporting infrastructure, computer engineers advancing technological development and petroleum engineers helping to solve the energy crisis.
The automotive sector was ranked second in attractiveness by the survey respondents, with 59% of workers willing to work in the industry. ITC, agriculture and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) rounded out the top five most attractive sectors.
Joanna Irwin, Randstad’s global chief marketing officer, said: “This year’s Randstad Employer Brand Research signals that the tides are changing in terms of which sectors are seen as the most attractive for employees. Increasingly, talent wants to work in sectors that make an impact in both the physical and digital world.
“There’s still a job to do for employers in these sought-after industries to ensure that they are removing the barriers to entry for willing talent. Offering reskilling and upskilling programmes can help employers stand out from the crowd and attract workers.”
The research also found that there are differences around the world in terms of which industries talent views as the most attractive. In Europe, for example, workers ranked the automotive sector as number one (46%), followed by life sciences (44%) and industrial (44%). In Latin America, automotive also took the top position (73%), with industrial (68%) and FMCG (68%) following in second and third respectively.
Despite workers being attracted to certain industries, three out of five (61%) feel that they don’t have the skills required to enter many of the most sought-after industries. Although engineering is the most attractive sector, a significant portion of the workforce (65%) believe that they lack the skills needed to work in the industry. It is even more the case for the chemical (72%) and construction (69%) sectors.
At the other end of the scale, nearly half of the global workforce (46%) feel that they have the skills to work in retail. Hospitality comes in second (43%), followed by ITC (42%). White collar workers are more likely to feel that they have the skills to work in any sector, compared to blue collar workers (41% v 34%).
The research also found that over three quarters of workers (76%) consider it important to be offered the chance to reskill by their employer. Only 61% feel that their employers offer these opportunities.
Although only the results of one survey, it is clearly encouraging to see that engineering is benefiting from the fact that global talent wants to work in sectors that make an impact in both the physical and digital world. Making a difference is hard-wired into what the construction and infrastructure industry delivers so it looks like the future is looking brighter for global engineering firms.
Notwithstanding the positive results of the survey for the sector, employers still need to offer a compelling employee value proposition to win the competition for talent. This includes prioritising the creation of a better talent experience for their workforce, with more autonomy and flexibility – increasingly important requirements for employees in a post-Covid, ‘new normal’ workplace environment.
