Australia – Engineers’ skills could become redundant unless they prepare for the future, finds Hays

To remain employable engineers in Australia require environmentally sustainable design knowledge, expertise in new technology and a willingness to continuously ask questions, according to a new report from Hays Engineering, ‘The Modern Engineer: What it Takes to Succeed.’“

Automation and artificial intelligence threaten to make many of the traditional and base level skills of engineers redundant, at least to a degree,” Megan Motto, CEO of Consult Australia, stated in the report. “Both engineers and employers need to consider areas for personal and organisational development to ensure they have the right skills to remain relevant in the future.”

“Engineers who want to do their job effectively in the coming years need to be across environmentally sustainable design and life-cycle assessment,” Adam Shapley, Senior Regional Director of Hays Engineering, said.“They must upskill in the latest technology tools, including GPS positioning, survey equipment, drones, Augmented Reality (AR) and VR, and they must ensure their technical foundation remains strong.”

Hays’ report, which surveyed 340 engineers, showed that 72% expect to add to their skills through upskilling on-the-job. Meanwhile engineers also say they need to become familiar with STEM skills and knowledge (58%), environmentally sustainable design (58%) and life cycle assessment (53%).

“Entry-level candidates need a strong technical foundation as well as mathematical ability, while more experienced candidates need to gain a high level of emotional intelligence and social skills,” Adam Shapley, Senior Regional Director of Hays Engineering. “I believe that to be successful, today’s engineer must demonstrate an appetite and aptitude to learn quickly and ask questions to keep their knowledge current.”

Source: Australia – Engineers’ skills could become redundant unless they prepare for the future, finds Hays