With 11.000 jobs in July 2021, employment in engineering is back to its pre-crisis level

After losing 11% of its turnover in 2020, engineering has already found the path to growth. Industrial engineering and construction companies, which hired 80 new employees each year, nevertheless warn of the lack of professionals trained in France.

Companies that demonstrate resilience and responsibility in the face of the crisis ...

Closure of industrial sites, shutdowns… In 2020, the activity of engineering companies is deeply impacted by the crisis and the successive confinements. A slowdown that has repercussions on the number of new hires. While in April 2019, the profession recruited 9 employees, just under 000 recruitments were made in April 6.

If the shock is sudden, the levels nevertheless start to rise again from September 2020, less than 6 months after the start of the first confinement. In October of the same year, the job vacancies published reached the 9 mark, against 000 in the same month in 8. A good performance, which is confirmed throughout 000 when the levels are comparable or higher than 2019. In July 2021, 2019 jobs were published, as in July 2021.

“The shock of the crisis linked to Covid-19 was severe for the entire profession, which lost 11% of its turnover in 2020. And yet, less than 6 months after the start of the pandemic, recruitments returned to levels comparable to those of 2019. This is a particularly remarkable performance, when we consider that the activity of our companies was, recently, still slowed down, or even stopped in certain industrial sectors. It is important to understand that our wealth lies in our employees. It is for our ideas, our gray matter that our customers call on us. In this, engineering companies have done everything to preserve jobs and skills. " explains Pierre Verzat, president of Syntec-Ingénierie

... who will face recruitment difficulties in the short term

If the profession is pleased with this return to growth, Syntec-Ingénierie recalls that before the crisis engineering was a sector in tension. According to a study carried out in December 2018 by the firm EY on behalf of the OPIIEC, engineering suffers from a structural understaffing of 2 to 4%. Of the 33 technicians trained each year in France, only 000 people are actually available and 14% choose to continue their studies. Women are also under-represented in the profession and constitute only 000% of the trained workforce. An understaffing which risks, in the short term, to slow down companies in their economic recovery and in the conduct of the projects entrusted to them.

“There is an urgent need to train more engineers and technicians in France. Let us not forget that the lack of trained professionals costs our companies 500 million to 1 billion euros each year. With our professional federation, for many years we have been carrying out awareness-raising actions among young audiences and women to arouse vocations. This is not enough, we call on the public authorities to promote scientific and technical education more widely and to launch a major campaign to raise awareness of the engineering professions, which are recruiting, despite the crisis! ” calls Pierre Verzat, president of Syntec-Ingénierie.

Meet'ingé, the annual meeting for students and young graduates looking for opportunities in industry and construction

More than 1 students and young graduates are expected for the 500th edition of the Meet'ingé, which will take place on Thursday, October 20 from 14 am to 9 pm at the Carreau du Temple. The event, which has + 17% registrations compared to 30, has over the years become the unmissable event for young people looking for professional opportunities in the industrial and construction sectors.

53 companies will offer their internship and work-study programs, but also their first permanent jobs to young people, notably from more than 110 engineering schools throughout France. The first offers can be viewed on the event website.

The event, free, will also offer workshops to participants:

• a CV bar, run by recruiting experts;
• a photo studio, to benefit from a professional photo to insert in the CV;
• conferences offered by engineering professionals.

At the heart of Meet'ingé, a large photo exhibition will also be organized. Nearly 30 photos signed by Factstory, an AFP subsidiary, will highlight engineering professionals alongside their works: bridges, factories, data centers, preservation of wetlands for biodiversity ...