The Skills Shortage, Which Skills are Missing?
Are you facing a skills shortage with your maintenance engineers? We’ve been looking at the most widely reported missing skills, but do you agree? We’d really like to hear your take on this. Are you seeing a skills gap in your business? If so, which skills are missing, and how are you dealing with this?
Maintenance engineering managers have reported a shortage of skills in the sector, making it difficult for them to find qualified candidates to fill maintenance engineering positions. According to a survey conducted by Plant Engineering Magazine, over 50% of maintenance engineering managers reported experiencing a skills shortage. The survey revealed that the skills gap affects all areas of maintenance engineering, including electrical, mechanical, and controls engineering.
So, what skills are missing? The answer is not straightforward; as we all know, the skills needed depend on the industry and the type of equipment being maintained. Some skills are generally essential for maintenance engineering, and the shortage of these skills has been identified as a significant challenge facing the sector.
- Maintenance Engineering is becoming increasingly data-driven, and maintenance engineers need to be able to analyse data from various sources to identify trends and patterns that can inform their maintenance decisions. However, many maintenance engineers lack the necessary data analysis skills, hampering the ability to optimise equipment performance and reduce downtime.
- Another critical skill reported to be missing is software proficiency. Maintenance engineers must be proficient in using software programs as equipment becomes more complex. However, many maintenance engineers lack the necessary software skills, making it challenging to manage maintenance activities effectively.
- Communication skills are crucial in most jobs; this is still true in maintenance engineering. Communication with colleagues, managers, and other stakeholders is needed to ensure that maintenance activities are coordinated effectively and everyone is on the same page.
The skills shortage in the maintenance engineering sector creates a significant challenge for businesses and maintenance managers. Investing in training and development programs is increasingly important to equip maintenance engineers with the skills required to carry out their responsibilities effectively. Businesses can enhance their productivity, competitiveness, and bottom line by addressing the skills shortage in the maintenance engineering sector.