Engineering professionals Shortages: Is the Problem Education or Hiring?

Companies say they struggle to find qualified professionals. At the same time, people with relevant education and experience continue to face difficulties securing a job. If companies need talent and professionals are looking for opportunities, where is the connection breaking down?

The answer is not that simple. Some roles require specialized knowledge and years of hands-on experience that cannot be developed overnight. But it is also important to understand whether hiring criteria reflect companies’ actual needs or end up screening out professionals who could take on those responsibilities.

The professionals’ perspective: Education and experience do not always open doors

Some professionals have invested in their education, built up years of experience, and still struggle to find opportunities that match their qualifications.

One issue raised in this debate is the difficulty of progressing through recruitment processes, even after years spent building a career. For these professionals, the problem is not necessarily a lack of qualified people, but how companies assess candidates, set hiring criteria, and recognize the experience they already bring to the table.

This does not mean that everyone looking for a job is qualified for every role. The point is that professionals with relevant knowledge and experience can also be rejected before they have a chance to demonstrate what they can deliver. When that happens, some of the talent available in the labor market may go untapped.

The companies’ perspective: Having applicants does not mean you can fill your staffing needs

For companies, the challenge is finding professionals who meet the actual needs of their operations. Having people looking for work does not necessarily mean there are enough candidates with the right qualifications, experience, or availability to fill open positions.

Companies must also consider the responsibilities associated with each role. Hiring someone who is not yet ready to perform a particular task may require a period of training and supervision that does not fit the timeline for mobilizing a team. In roles involving safety and quality, that preparation cannot be treated as an afterthought.

That is why hiring difficulties do not always mean companies are setting excessively high standards. In some cases, the market genuinely lacks professionals who can meet specific requirements right away. While professionals question whether their skills are being recognized, companies need to determine whether they can actually find the people required to meet their operational needs. The challenge is to distinguish between these two situations and identify the real bottleneck.

Where the two sides connect and where they fall out of sync

The problem begins when companies’ needs and professionals’ expectations fail to align. Companies need to fill positions with people capable of taking on specific responsibilities, while professionals with relevant education and experience may struggle to demonstrate that they are ready for those opportunities.

Part of this disconnect may lie in the criteria used during recruitment. A company may need someone who can step into a role immediately, while a candidate has relevant experience but not in the exact context required by the position. In that case, it is worth asking whether the difference genuinely rules out a hire or whether there is room for adaptation and development.

It is also important to recognize that not every staffing need can be addressed in the same way. Some positions require preparation that takes time, while others allow professionals to develop certain skills after being hired. At the same time, professionals need opportunities that align with their career paths and give them a chance to demonstrate what they can do.

That is why it is not enough to conclude that there is a shortage of professionals or that companies are overlooking good candidates. The challenge is to understand when there is a genuine skills gap and when difficulties in identifying, selecting, and developing talent contribute to the disconnect.

The challenge goes beyond filling an open position

For companies in engineering, industry, and infrastructure, the availability of qualified professionals directly affects their ability to mobilize teams and execute new projects. But that ability depends on more than the number of people available. It also depends on their skills, how long it takes to develop those skills, and whether they can be matched to the needs of each operation.

Both sides have a role to play. Companies need to identify which requirements are truly essential and where there is room to develop talent. Professionals looking for opportunities, in turn, need to keep building their knowledge and demonstrate how their experience can meet the demands of the roles they pursue.

Ultimately, it is not enough to say that qualified professionals are in short supply, just as it is not enough to conclude that companies are asking for too much. We need to understand the gap between what companies are looking for and what the labor market has to offer.

In your experience, what makes this connection most difficult today: a shortage of professionals with specialized skills, or the difficulty of recognizing and developing the talent that is already available in the labor market?