McMaster engineering survey shows Ontario firms looking to hire engineering graduates

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/engineering.jpg” caption=”Pictured in McMaster’s Centre for Emerging Device Technologies are Brad Robinson, manager of the Centre, left, and Gord Wille, a former research engineer with the Centre.”]A survey of organizations in Ontario employing engineers undertaken by the Faculty of Engineering found that almost 70 per cent of respondents plan to hire engineers in the coming year and that almost 80 per cent of those plan to hire engineering graduates.

“This will be music to the ears of engineering students and recent graduates,” said Mo Elbestawi, dean, Faculty 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.”

Of the respondents planning to hire, 79.4 per cent plan to hire recent engineering graduates (i.e. have less than the four years work experience required to qualify as a P.Eng.). Ninety-six per cent of these organizations plan to hire graduates with a Bachelors degree, 35.7 per cent with a Masters degree and 15.2 per cent with a Ph.D.

“Its 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. “There are careers waiting for enterprising men and women in both traditional and emerging areas of engineering such as software, entertainment, the environment, mechatronics and biomedical engineering. Were introducing new programs in all these areas at McMaster.”

When asked about which universities were important for recruiting engineering graduates, 91 per cent indicated McMaster Engineering. And for co-op and internship work placements, 74 per cent selected McMaster Engineering. This was well ahead of most other Ontario universities.

As to the skills and qualities organizations look for when hiring a graduate, related work experience gained through such programs as co-op and internships ranked 99 per cent. This was followed by soft skills (leadership, teamwork, collaboration) at 94 per cent, specialized knowledge (93%), high marks (84%), and post-graduate education (74%).

More than 79 per cent of respondents said they hired students for co-op or internship work terms.

The survey was conducted by the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University between July 21 and August 26 of this year. The purpose of the study was to better understand the engineering hiring plans of Ontario organizations, and the skills and knowledge they will require in future. Personnel and human resource managers, owners, senior executives, and engineering managers at 760 organizations in Ontario employing engineers were surveyed. The results are considered accurate plus or minus 7.5 per cent 19 out of 20 times.

For more survey highlights, visit http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/survey or www.eng.mcmaster.ca.

* Totals do not always add up to 100 per cent as respondents are allowed to provide multiple answers to some questions.