A skill shortage for individuals trained in STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics — is on the rise globally. Engineering graduates are highly sought after to help fill the gaps.
In Australia, the demand for engineers outstrips supply. It is a trend that continues to grow in part due to COVID-19, particularly in the field of biomedical engineering. The growing skills gap presents an excellent opportunity for aspiring engineers, who can command higher wages in the workforce upon completion of a degree program.
Engineering In Demand
COVID-19 affected the global — and local — economy in many ways, including the loss of jobs for certain industries. Engineers continue to be in demand, especially those trained in civil, mining, and chemicals and materials engineering.
Engineering disciplines most in demand include:
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Alternative Energy Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $65,000
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Automation and Robotics Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $77,000
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Civil Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $59,000
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Data Science and Machine Learning, at an annual starting salary of $89,000
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Electrical Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $67,000
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Mining Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $68,000
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Petroleum Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $97,000
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Project Engineering, at an annual starting salary of $71,000
With international border closings and other mitigation procedures in effect for COVID-19, companies are facing a continued skill shortage in the science, technology, and engineering fields. Now is an excellent time to consider engineering as a future career. Online engineering courses provide the training and education necessary for an engineering career pathway.
Engineering Education Challenges
Obtaining an engineering education during a global pandemic presents challenges. Everything from the way instruction is delivered to how students collaborate on projects is greatly affected by the need for ongoing social distancing.
1. Instruction delivery methods
Many engineering programs are 100 per cent virtual, forcing engineering faculty to adopt new instruction delivery methods. While e-learning is economical and convenient, it is not without challenges for higher education institutions and learning centres. Engineering content is highly technical. Students who struggle with reading and digesting the material fail at interpreting the problem at hand, which further hinders the learning process.
Instructors must go beyond a syllabus and provide an interactive learning experience that facilitates an online learning model. Students will benefit from certain online study habits that can help retain focus and prevent distractions.
2. Professional development
Many “old school” instructors are not adequately trained in virtual learning and struggle with delivering meaningful, interactive instruction. Universities and learning centres must ensure staff receives professional development to aid in the shift to online education.
3. Collaboration and feedback
The engineering design process naturally requires collaboration, communication, and feedback from peers and advisors. It can be more difficult to obtain this via a virtual model, and some engineering students struggle with the transition. The use of virtual platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Slack can provide virtual opportunities for students and instructors to work together in real time.
4. Access to technology
For some students, access to technology and high-speed Internet is proving quite challenging for online learning. Video lectures, collaborative platforms, and other online tools commonly used to deliver online instruction require a reliable Internet connection.
Engineering Skills
Engineers possess more than technical skills, which helps keep them in demand in the job market. While it is a given that most engineers are good in maths, these skills are also imperative:
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Engineers must possess effective leadership skills and not be afraid to take initiative.
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Effective communication is a must for successful engineers.
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Creativity and collaboration skills are a given in any engineering field.
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Project management skills improve efficiency and are highly valued in engineers.
Right information, skills and determination, finding the education that works specifically for you – these all imperative to be successful as an engineer in this post-pandemic world.
Oli is a working mum who has a passion for teaching and all things educational. With a background in marketing, Oli manages the digital channels and content at Courses AU.
