Address the replacement demand for engineers

ccording to a new Engineers Canada labour market projection report, there are currently labour shortages in a number of engineering occupations, particularly civil, mechanical, electrical engineers, as well as a shortage of computer engineers at both the provincial and national levels. Occupation data sourced from the Canadian Labour Force Survey indicate that engineering occupations’ employment and wages are increasing faster than in other occupations. Unemployment is very low, less than 1% for many engineering occupations, relative to historical data and to other occupation data. Replacement demand for engineers will be particularly relevant over the next decade as the baby boom generation retires. Economic activity is generating a stronger demand for engineers in Western Canada than in Eastern Canada.

Out of the 14 different engineering occupations, the forecast for civil engineers is particularly high. It is projected that there will be an average of 2500 job openings for civil engineers annually over the next five years. Growth in industries that employ civil engineers will generate about 1000 of these openings each year. Another 1500 of these job openings will be related to the replacement of retiring workers, given the high average age of 48 years old for civil engineers.

Using the information you know about forecasting HR demand, what advice would you offer to Engineers Canada to address the replacement demand for engineers over the next decade?