Engineering in Australia – Demand still Strong
Migrant’s job prospects in Engineering in Australia remain strong.
Australia still needs engineers according to Peter Taylor, Chief Executive of Engineers Australia. see the extract from Engineers Australia eNews 27 October 2008:
Reduced migration could stall infrastructure plans
With an estimated shortage of 28,000 engineering professionals in Australia, Engineers Australia said any proposals to cut Australia’s skilled migration program must be carefully targeted to avoid further impacts to the skills base needed to underpin major spending on infrastructure.
The chief executive of Engineers Australia, Peter Taylor, said: “At a time when Australian governments are relying on fast-tracking major infrastructure programs to stimulate economic activity and offset private sector funding constraints caused by the global financial crisis, it would be most ill-advised to cut back skills that Australia must have to underpin that urgent economic strategy.”
Taylor said the federal government’s decision to accelerate use of infrastructure funds was commendable but would be compromised if skilled migration were reduced.
“Australia’s inadequate professional engineering skills base has long been identified as a barrier to implementing infrastructure programs aimed at economic development and increasing our economic competitiveness.
“The skilled migration program is an important temporary fix until education reforms are able to deliver much-needed increases in domestic engineering graduates,” Taylor said.
