Many of us are still working from home and practicing social distancing due to the current global health crisis. While some businesses are beginning to reopen, and people are returning to work, it is important to keep in mind how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and will continue to influence how we go about business.
At Austin Nichols, we want to provide some insights into what we could expect from the engineering job market in the future. Whether you are an engineering firm or someone in the market for an engineering role, our team is here to help you get back to business as usual.
U.S. Job Market Due to COVID-19
COVID-19, as well as the Stay-at-Home Orders that were implemented to help prevent the spread of the disease, has significantly impacted the United States’ job market. Almost every industry has been impacted, and many will also continue to feel the effects into 2021.
Engineering Job Market
An engineer’s ability to work from home depends on the type of engineering in which they operate. Some people in the industry have been able to go about their work as usual during the pandemic. However, others have been limited because they are restricted from visiting project sites without serious precautions.
Luckily, engineering is a necessary industry to maintain our current societal standards, maintain infrastructure, and make progress in innovations. With more Baby Boomers leaving the job market than Millennials and Gen Zs entering these jobs, this makes engineering jobs in high demand.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that the engineering job market would grow by 140,000 new jobs between 2016 and 2026. Due to the demand of artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, and medical technology, the pandemic is unlikely to slow the growth of the industry.
This does not mean that the impact of COVID-19 will not influence the future of engineering. As we slowly transition back to working from an office or traveling, either locally or otherwise, the financial impact of the pandemic will likely influence the future of all industries.
What to Expect from the Engineering Job Market in the Future
As medical professionals continue to learn more about COVID-19, it is difficult to know what to anticipate going forward. As of now, we can see how the pandemic has impacted the engineering job market. However, it will be interesting to see how COVID-19 will influence the future of the engineering industry.
Short-term Impact of COVID-19 on Engineering Jobs
Not even engineering is safe from the COVID-19 impact on the job market. However, most of these impacts have been and will continue to be temporary. Some projects have been delayed, postponed, or canceled altogether because the companies and governments that are funding them have seen a decrease in revenue due to Stay-at-Home Orders. Supply chains may also put a pause on engineering firms’ projects due to delays in equipment and materials arriving to the U.S. from international suppliers.
Likewise, many engineering projects, specifically ones that involve infrastructure, have resumed as normal with only limited time off in March while companies figured out what precautions to implement. The ability for projects to resume progress is also dependent on where in the country the project is located, and whether the project is inside, like in a building, or outside, such as road work. However, since many infrastructure projects are commissioned by local and state government, funding may be low for future projects. For this reason, some firms may have not felt the impact of COVID-19 currently but may in the next year.
Of course, this depends on the type of engineering, and because of this, some jobs may be more affected than others. All of these factors, however, mean that not even engineers are immune to the effects of COVID-19. Some people have experienced furloughs, layoffs, and pay cuts.
While many projects have been delayed until “things return to normal,” many companies will be eager to get employees back in offices or on sites to resume projects as soon as possible. It is important to have the necessary safety precautions in place to keep employees safe.
Long-term Impact of COVID-19 on Engineering Jobs
These short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are valuable to assess the immediate impact on a company, government, or firm; however, it is also important to look at the long-term impact of the pandemic on the engineering industry as a whole.
According to a video from Cornell University’s Cornell Chronicle, some changes that may be implemented include:
- New terms and conditions at work
- Risk management
- More sick leave
- Operative procedures that allow more employees to work from home
- More domestic manufacturing
- Further automation, which leads to artificial intelligence
While more manufacturing jobs are believed to return to the U.S., this likely will drive innovation for the automation of manufacturing processes. Artificial intelligence tools may start replacing the need for humans in jobs; however, that doesn’t apply to engineers who help drive AI development.
With more limited hiring opportunities and budget, firms will look for the highest qualified person to fill the position to alleviate the need to hire more candidates and the cost associated with doing so.
How Austin Nichols Can Help You
Despite the uncertainty of the last few months, people are adjusting and managing to find work even through economic difficulties. Even with the impact on the engineering industry, the nature of the career provides job security in a way that is different from other markets. Whether you are an engineer seeking out a new opportunity or ready to hire a new team member to your engineering firm, Austin Nichols can help you. Working with our professional recruiters means that you are more likely to find a perfect match more quickly.
How We Can Help Engineers
At Austin Nichols, our recruiters can work with you to ensure you have the best shot at landing a position you want. Doing so is incredibly important in the current job market as more and more candidates are competing for the same jobs. We can conduct the preliminary interviews that help us find the jobs you are most qualified for. Our recruiters make introductions between candidates and engineering firms and schedule interviews. Finally, we can help you prepare for interviews, so you are sure to impress the hiring manager.
How We Can Help Engineering Firms
Managers will be busy focusing on resuming projects or meeting with new clients whose plans were put on hold. While it may be time to hire someone new on to your team, you may not actually have the time to commit to looking for someone. Additionally, HR departments will likely be busy getting people who were furloughed back on payroll and ensuring that everyone is following the new protocol for keeping everyone safe in the workplace.
You’ll want someone who is highly qualified and will add value to your team. The professional recruiters at Austin Nichols can help engineering firms in the Kansas City area attract the best candidates for any of their open positions.
Because it may be a while until you are scheduling in-person meetings, Austin Nichols can help you set up an entirely virtual interviewing process, as well. For more information about working with our team at Austin Nichols, call us today at 816-471-5575.
