Engineering Workers' Confidence Reaches Pre-Recession Highs

ATLANTA, July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Randstad Engineering Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. engineers, skyrocketed in the second quarter of 2013 to 61.9, rising a notable seven points from the previous quarter. The index has reached over 60 only twice since 2008. In fact, this quarter engineering professionals had some of the highest employee confidence levels when analyzed on a sector basis, stronger than those in IT, office and administrative, manufacturing and healthcare, as tracked by Randstad US.

The survey also found that two in five (40 percent) engineering professionals believe the economy is getting stronger, a considerable spike from 26 percent in the first quarter of 2013. Their views on the economy may be a contributing factor to the powerful sense of optimism among engineering professionals regarding job prospects. Over six-in-10 (62 percent) engineers feel confident in their ability to find a new job, representing an increase of 11 percentage points from the first quarter of 2013. The quarterly study was conducted online in April, May and June of 2013 by Harris Interactive on behalf of Randstad Engineering, among 119 U.S. workers (ages 18 and older) employed in the engineering industry.

"While it is great to see an increase in confidence among engineering professionals, I'm not surprised, given the skills shortage among engineers," said Richard Zambacca, President of Randstad Engineering. "Candidates have a wider range of options as far as job opportunities, which not only drives confidence but fosters overall fulfillment in their careers.

"Engineers continue to experience a healthy job market. Within the automotive manufacturing industry, engineering is among the most in-demand occupations, according to Wanted Analytics, with the most sought after job titles being manufacturing engineer and quality engineer," continued Zambacca.

Q2 2013, Survey Highlights:

Engineering Workers' Confidence in the Economy Spikes in the Second Quarter

• Two-in-five (40 percent) engineering professionals believe the economy is getting stronger, a considerable jump from 26 percent in the first quarter of 2013.

Engineers Increasingly Optimistic About Job Availability

• Just over one-in-three (35 percent) engineering workers believe more jobs are available, representing an increase of 14 percentage points from the first quarter of 2013. Three-in-ten (30 percent) engineering workers believe fewer jobs are available this quarter, representing a sizeable change in outlook when compared to last quarter's 47 percent.

Engineers' Confidence in Ability to Find New Jobs Takes a Positive Turn

• The majority (62 percent) of engineers feel confident in their ability to find a new job, rising eleven percentage points from the first quarter of 2013.

Worker Sentiment about Job Security Remains Strong

• Seventy-three percent of engineers report they are not likely to lose their jobs over the next 12 months, showing no change from the previous quarter.

Slightly Fewer Engineers Likely to Search for New Employment

• A third (33 percent) of engineers say they are likely to look for a new job within the next 12 months, a slight decrease of three percentage points from the first quarter of 2013.

To view the latest quarterly trends report, click here.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Randstad Engineering from April 1-3, May 7-9 and June 4-6, 2013, among 3,626 ages 18 and older, of which 119 are employed in engineering. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Randstad Engineering
Randstad Engineering has been matching clients with the expert engineering and technical staff needed to help their companies succeed since 1988. With degreed engineers and expert technical recruiters on staff who understand the unique challenges of your industry, Randstad Engineering partners with companies on their specific business goals by quickly connecting them with the expert professionals to help achieve them. With an extensive network of three million engineers and other technical experts—Randstad Engineering has the right talent to get the job done.

About Randstad
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $22.0 billion global provider of HR services. As the third largest staffing organization in the US, Randstad holds top positions in permanent placement, office and administrative, IT and accounting and finance. From professional services, commercial staffing, recruitment process outsourcing, to managed services and more, Randstad delivers a comprehensive range of temporary, temporary-to-hire, permanent placement and outsourced placement services. With its 5,660 employment experts, Randstad puts an average of nearly 100,000 people to work in the U.S. each week, through its network of more than 900 branches and client-dedicated locations.

Learn more at www.randstad.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work.

SOURCE Randstad Engineering