Engineering the future: demand for specialised engineers on the rise

Australia relies on approximately half a million qualified engineers to tackle some of our most pressing challenges, from climate change to the clean energy transition and building our cities of the future. Engineers are indispensable to the future of transport systems, sustainable cities, and overall national resilience and there are exciting new job opportunities in these transformative fields.

Despite this, a report from the peak industry body reveals a deepening engineering skills gap in Australia. Even with the average engineers’ salary well above six figures, demand for engineering skills is outpacing supply as employment vacancies sit at a decade high.

The increasing demand for skilled engineers has prompted leading Australian universities to expand their postgraduate engineering programs (Pictured: Associate Professor Dezso Sera).

Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO says the analysis offers insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the Australian engineering landscape. Critical sectors being impacted include Defence, Clean Energy, Power Systems, Construction and Software Engineering .

“As the world continues to embrace technology and systems, becoming more sophisticated and interdependent, our economy and society are more reliant than ever on the engineering profession,” Ms Madew says.

Other factors are driving high demand for qualified engineers, including Queensland announcing its target of 80 per cent renewable energy by 2035, releasing forecasting of 100,000 new jobs in the renewable engineering sector. The climate-positive Olympic Games in Brisbane in 2032 has also triggered a 10-year pipeline of sustainable engineering projects and investment in renewable energies, to ensure carbon reductions and climate positive legacies.

Demand rising

The increasing demand for skilled engineers has prompted leading Australian universities to expand their postgraduate engineering programs. These programs are now accessible not only to engineers but also to professionals with relevant experience in fields such as mathematics, information technology, physics, and urban planning.

Queensland University of Technology is addressing this demand through its development of flexible, industry-relevant postgraduate courses with a strong focus on sustainable engineering practices. QUT Professor and chair of sustainable water technologies, Yang Liu urged engineers and professionals in allied fields to consider postgraduate study in engineering. By doing so, engineers can deepen their technical expertise and stay updated with the latest technologies, in turn enhancing their career prospects.

QUT’s postgraduate programs equip engineers with the skills to tackle today’s challenges.

“For those considering a career change, QUT’s postgraduate engineering courses offer specialised qualifications in emerging fields such as advanced manufacturing, renewable power, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable infrastructure, with the necessary expertise and credentials,” says Professor Liu.

“The flexible study options and industry-focused curriculum enable our students to gain practical experience and build valuable connections, facilitating a smoother transition into new roles and helping them achieve their career goals.”

One of the senior academics involved in the design and delivery of engineering courses at QUT is Associate Professor Dezso Sera, who has been consulting with industry to design engineering courses for the future.

“This collaboration with the engineering industry ensures that our graduates gain the specific skills and knowledge required to excel in emerging technologies and address current industry challenges effectively.”

Learn with like-minded peers

While some prefer to study online, the benefits of building your own network with like-minded fellow students already employed as engineers is a critical gateway. Being on campus also enables academics to focus on practical, real-world learning experiences, equipping graduates with both the technical expertise and the strategic management skills required to excel.

That means “participating in robust conversations and having one-to-one chats with your teachers, who can give you immediate feedback on your ideas. You can also access resources on campus to help you study, which might be useful if you haven’t been to university for a long time, such as support accessing the library, academic essay writing and tutorials,” says Professor Liu.

This is why QUT’s new engineering graduate certificates and master degrees are offered on campus, so the new intake of students can benefit from collaborative learning and hands-on experiences with specialised equipment and facilities.

Ready to engineer the future? Join Queensland University of Technology’s postgraduate engineering programs and gain the specialised skills needed to thrive in today’s high-demand industry. Learn more here.