A new research study seems to think that when it comes to 2015’s big winners, engineering contractors are going to be a tough act to follow.
It looks like everything is coming up roses in the engineering sector this year – or at least that’s what engineering professionals believe anyway. The sector – which is 41 per cent temporary workers such as freelancers and umbrella company contractors – has reported that confidence is running high that the next 12 months will see employer revenue and income grow – and alongside that new opportunities for work.
In fact, 61 per cent of respondents of a new industry survey say that things are looking up. 43 per cent said that their employer is likely to take on more staff – and with the skills shortage still wreaking havoc with the industry at large when it comes to sourcing workers, this means that opportunities for interim workers are likely to rocket upwards. This is brilliant news for any engineering contractors looking to pick up some extra work over the course of 2015.
And the skills shortage is absolutely playing a role – or at least an overwhelming 95 per cent of survey respondents believe that it is. With around 30 per cent of engineers feeling that the rapidly ageing workforce is the greatest issue facing the industry, there just aren’t enough new students coming up through STEM subjects to manage the gap – and that means that freelancers and contractors naturally need to step in to plug up the holes left in engineering firms thanks to newly-minted pensioners.
What’s this mean for interim workers, especially younger ones that have the skills and experience to satisfy these firms? Well if you ask me it means that you’re about to become one hell of a hot commodity; be prepared for all sorts of competition for your attention. This means pay packets are likely to increase, perhaps by obscene margins; I would most likely strike while the iron is hot. Don’t waste any time or dawdle if you don’t want to be passed by!
Then again, there’s always the possibility that some horrid catastrophe will derail the entire engineering sector. What sort of form it could take I don’t rightly know, but i’m paranoid enough to not want to put all my eggs in one basket. This is probably just some trauma left over from the credit crunch and the resultant financial downturn, so take that with a grain of salt.
