ZipRecruiter, one of America's top job recruitment sites, has reported that the most in-demand jobs are in the electrical engineering industry. The site is visited by millions of people every day, and the most searched for positions — in fact, the top five searches — were all pertaining to electrical engineering.
The searches ranged from entry-level electrical engineering jobs for advanced diploma holders, up to the kinds of jobs that require Professional Engineer recognition. ZipRecruiter confirms many of the inquirers are looking to be electricians on construction sites. Other inquiries are for particularly specialized positions within electrical engineering.
But, mostly, skilled workers are looking for any jobs they can get in the electrical engineering field. Furthermore, ZipRecruiter has indicated that these job seekers are often looking for a promotion.
The report interestingly stated:
“Given the high demand for and low supply of these workers, it’s likely that most of these job hunters are already employed and looking to level up into higher-paying positions.”
Worryingly, the supply of workers cannot keep up with the pace of electrical engineering jobs being listed in the US. The site has its own ZipRecruiter Opportunity Index which takes a look at the availability of workers versus how many jobs had been listed. The index in electrical engineering resulted in a 1:4 ratio. There is one worker to every four listed electrical engineering jobs on the website. Moreover, for electricians, the ratio was 1:5.
Those ratios are the averages across the entirety of the United States. The numbers in state-specific data sets seem to look even more concerning.
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The numbers have highlighted a big need for qualified and skilled individuals in the United States. ZipRecruiter says the data also indicates that electrical engineers and electricians should be open to relocating. For example, in Ann Arbor, Michigan there were nine electrical engineering jobs open to one applicant at a time. In the New York metropolitan area, the highest number of applicants existed. Detroit apparently had the biggest labor shortage of all.
The data is also telling a poetic story about the situation throughout the rest of the world. Students are encouraged to examine the job listings for a particular country and assess which engineering disciplines are in demand, before picking a discipline to pursue. They are also encouraged to upskill and gain qualifications for the available jobs they could qualify for.
Shortages across Australia
CNBC reports that Australia is also seeing a rise in job listings for site engineers and electrical foreman. The construction and property market is purportedly on the rise, and that means that electrical systems for new developments will be required.
According to an article written by the Dean of Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, and an Associate Professor in UNSW’s School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, electrical engineers in Australia currently make a median salary of US$46 693.72 per year.
Works Cited
“Electrical Engineers, Electricians in High Demand in These Markets.” The Bay State Banner, 15 Aug. 2018, www.baystatebanner.com/2018/08/17/electrical-engineers-electricians-in-high-demand-in-these-markets/.
Gilchrist, Karen. “These Are the Best Jobs in Australia Right Now.” CNBC, CNBC, 4 Sept. 2018, www.cnbc.com/2018/09/04/best-jobs-careers-australia-teaching-tech-construction-healthcare.html.
z3524864. “Mining Bust's Gone and the Boom's Back: We Need Engineers.” UNSW Newsroom, 29 Aug. 2018, newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/general/mining-bust’s-gone-and-boom’s-back-we-need-engineers.
