News
| 06 December 2021

Extensive media coverage of Engineers Australia report into barriers to employment for skilled migrants

Among its findings, the report shows close to half of migrants actively seeking engineering jobs in Australia are unable to secure an engineering role, while engineering job vacancies are up 97 per cent in the past 12 months.

Of those that are employed in engineering, one in three believe they should be in a more senior role.

The report also found the biggest barrier was Australian employers wanting ‘local experience’.

These findings generated substantial national media coverage this week and saw CEO Dr Bronwyn Evans AM speaking to ABC TV, Radio National, News 24 and SBS on the findings.

Dr Evans highlighted barriers to migrant engineering employment, such as the need for Australian employers to take on people with local experience.

"I think some of those societal issues do play out. What we've got to do is give people an understanding of how do you engage in the Australian job market? Where do you go to look for roles?" Dr. Evans told the ABC.

"You've sort of got this perfect confluence of big projects coming online, almost double the demand for engineers.

"And yet we've got this pool of engineers who are ready to work and can't find work."

The coverage was also an opportunity to draw attention to Engineers Australia’s Pathways to Employment program for migrants.

Our report highlights the chance for Engineers Australia to take leadership and position migrant engineers as a solution to the skills supply needs.

Through the coverage we were able to share our solutions as part of the national conversation.

These included the need to position migrant engineers as a collective talent pool and talk to the size of the opportunity for employers, and to provide credible information on employment pathways for migrant engineers.

Read Barriers to employment for skilled migrant engineers (PDF)

View some of the media highlights: