Ontario engineering firms are planning massive hiring campaigns in the next year
Engineers are in high demand in Ontario as firms prepare for the emergence of new engineering designs and software developments, a recent survey found.
The Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University surveyed 760 organizations this summer to better understand the hiring plans of Ontario organizations, and the skills and knowledge they will require in future. Almost 70 per cent of respondents plan to hire engineers in the coming year and of those, 79.4 per cent plan to hire recent graduates.
“This will be music to the ears of engineering students and recent graduates,” said Mo Elbestawi, dean of engineering, McMaster University. “The survey confirms what we know anecdotally. Firms are counting on engineers to lead innovation and stimulate growth by developing new products, advancing product design, and finding technical solutions in a range of fields from manufacturing to computing to the environment to medicine.”
Nearly half of respondents said they were hiring to meet long-term growth demands, while a third said it was for renewal or to replace existing positions. Nearly one-fifth said they were hiring in response to changing skill requirements.
The survey found that the majority of organizations (64 per cent) said engineering design would have the greatest impact in the future. Other upcoming developments that organizations are preparing for include software developments, environmental regulations, technology transfer, commercialization, computational engineering and public policy.
“It’s essential that educators, employers and the profession get the word out to students that engineering is redefining the economy and society they live in and that they can make a real difference,” said Elbestawi.
Nearly all respondents (99 per cent) said that work-related experience gained through co-op programs and internships is the number one quality that they’re looking for in a graduate. This was followed by soft skills (leadership, teamwork, collaboration) at 94 per cent, specialized knowledge (93 per cent), high marks (84 per cent), and post-graduate education (74 per cent).
The Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University surveyed 760 organizations this summer to better understand the hiring plans of Ontario organizations, and the skills and knowledge they will require in future. Almost 70 per cent of respondents plan to hire engineers in the coming year and of those, 79.4 per cent plan to hire recent graduates.
“This will be music to the ears of engineering students and recent graduates,” said Mo Elbestawi, dean of engineering, McMaster University. “The survey confirms what we know anecdotally. Firms are counting on engineers to lead innovation and stimulate growth by developing new products, advancing product design, and finding technical solutions in a range of fields from manufacturing to computing to the environment to medicine.”
Nearly half of respondents said they were hiring to meet long-term growth demands, while a third said it was for renewal or to replace existing positions. Nearly one-fifth said they were hiring in response to changing skill requirements.
The survey found that the majority of organizations (64 per cent) said engineering design would have the greatest impact in the future. Other upcoming developments that organizations are preparing for include software developments, environmental regulations, technology transfer, commercialization, computational engineering and public policy.
“It’s essential that educators, employers and the profession get the word out to students that engineering is redefining the economy and society they live in and that they can make a real difference,” said Elbestawi.
Nearly all respondents (99 per cent) said that work-related experience gained through co-op programs and internships is the number one quality that they’re looking for in a graduate. This was followed by soft skills (leadership, teamwork, collaboration) at 94 per cent, specialized knowledge (93 per cent), high marks (84 per cent), and post-graduate education (74 per cent).
