Wanted: aerospace engineers

More 1 2 3 4 5

The supplier level
Recruiting engineers, as well as retaining them once hired, are challenges that are not limited to the OEM ranks. Suppliers too must actively search for qualified engineers and provide the right combination of work atmosphere, challenges, and incentives so engineers realize that the company is the right one for them. TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace)—a global company with facilities in 13 countries—recognizes these challenges and puts forth a great amount of resources and effort to ensure that its engineering workforce is top notch.

TRW uses a wide range of activities to support its hiring process, which include the following:

• Direct advertising in newspapers or trade presses
• Internal "referral" programs
• "Open day" events at plants or hotels
• Recruitment agencies
• Radio advertising
• Business websites
• Recruitment fairs
• Outplacement agencies
• Graduate trainee recruitment.

TRW looks for engineering recruits who have "e-skills," which include basic computer skills such as using e-mail as a communication tool and the Internet as a source for research.

The supplier currently employs more "traditional" methods, such as recruitment agencies and advertisements in newspapers, to recruit its engineers, said Aidan Adkins, Human Resources Manager - Engineering, TRW. However, he added that TRW would like to become more dependent on Web-based recruitment. "The full potential of Web-based recruitment hasn't been globally utilized," said Adkins. "It is the place to go for the IT profession, but not yet the natural choice for all engineers. However, we expect this to change as companies continue to incorporate e-business within their business processes."

He also mentioned that most recruits already use the Internet as a research tool prior to an interview. "Nearly every engineer I have interviewed over the past couple of years has used the Internet to do research prior to our meeting; they are well-equipped with information on our company and what we offer." Some benefits to using Web-based recruitment more extensively, Adkins explained, would be the time and money saved by cutting the middleman (agencies, newspapers, etc.) out of the hiring process.

To get young students interested in math and science as well as the engineering profession, TRW works closely with several schools and universities that are local to its worldwide facilities. The company's involvement includes direct support of curriculum activities, lecturing and general engineering promotion, and co-op opportunities. In addition, the TRW Foundation provides funds to institutions and individuals for external activities, including educational programs and scholarships. "This relationship building activity starts with children from the age of seven years old and continues through the postgraduate level with funded collaboration taking place with 24 universities around the world," said Adkins.

TRW's co-op programs allow college students to gain on-the-job experience while earning money during vacations or, more often, summers. Approximately 100 students worldwide participate in the summer co-ops, with a few students working yearlong at TRW facilities. Adkins also added that the program allows the company to evaluate the students' work; for some students, the co-op experience leads to a full-time engineering position with the company upon graduation.

TRW's engineers are presented with challenging opportunities for growth as well as the environment, materials, and tools to successfully pursue them.

According to IBM and the National Society of Professional Engineers, co-chairs of the National Engineers Week 2001 in mid-February, the engineering profession in general is facing a lack of diversification. Only 9% of engineering positions are currently filled by women, according to the two companies, and "that underscores the urgency to encourage girls to excel in math and science as early as elementary school—and continue to excel—so they'll be ready for formal engineering courses in college."

TRW recognizes that females are still under-represented in its engineering workforce and in the industry in general, but the company is actively working to improve the situation. In addition to the educational activities directed toward both female and male students, TRW supports a program in the UK called WISE (Women into Science and Engineering), which attempts to educate young females, particularly in the sciences, and get them excited about the engineering profession. The company provides financial support to the program and also encourages its female engineers to go into the schools to talk to young females as role models.

Another trend in the makeup of TRW's engineering workforce involves the age of its engineers: "We are experiencing a younger workforce both in the U.S. and parts of Europe," said Adkins. "As a result, there are much greater opportunities for career development at an earlier age than in previous decades." A younger workforce also usually means one that is more computer savvy, which is a quality that TRW looks for in its recruits. "Compared to previous decades, there is now a requirement for collaborative and co-located team working, almost always global in nature, and an increased demand for software and electronics skills," Adkins explained. "'Life skills' are now expected to include 'e-skills.'" These include basic skills such as using e-mail as a communication tool and the Internet as a source for research. "We don't want to bring in a new engineer and on day one teach (her or him) how to use e-mail," he said. "We assume that being able to use the computer is a 'life skill' now."

Attracting engineers that have the right mix of technical skills and experience, including "e-skills," can be a very competitive proposition. "High levels of demand, particularly for high-caliber engineers, exceed the supply," said Adkins. "When (those engineers) nibble at the bait, we've got to pull them in quickly because there are plenty of other employers fishing in the same river, if you will."

Even after the high-caliber engineers have been "landed," aerospace suppliers are still faced with the challenge of retaining those employees. Companies must still work assiduously to constantly provide an atmosphere in which engineers are challenged to perform at high levels and are recognized when they do so. "TRW recognizes that more than ever before, our engineers have a choice of where they work," Adkins said. To retain the best engineers, "we must treat them accordingly," he continued. One way the company accomplishes this is by ensuring that its remuneration package is competitive with those of other companies in the industry, which it does through regular, active benchmarking. "We offer a very attractive incentive plan that is based on business and personal performance, and we offer relocation assistance," explained Adkins.

TRW currently employs more "traditional" methods to recruit its engineers, such as recruitment agencies and advertisements in newspapers, but would like to become more dependent on Web-based recruitment.

A workplace that constantly provides challenging opportunities for growth as well as the technology and equipment to successfully pursue them is another feature that can attract and retain talented engineers. "TRW provides the environment, materials, and state-of-the-art tools our engineers need to do their job right. It is of great personal importance to engineers that they have the right tools for the job," said Adkins. "Not only is it necessary to be using up-to-date information technology for sound business reasons, there are underlying motivational benefits that should not be overlooked. For the same reasons, it is important for the whole e-strategy to be exciting." For example, TRW plans to launch a portal that will include collaborative engineering so the company can work with suppliers and customers on its design drawings. The company believes its collaborative-design initiatives will be an appealing draw for young engineers since few companies offer the capability.

The reward structure an employer offers its employees cannot be overlooked and can be an attractive feature to retain engineers, particularly those who have been in the field for some time. For example, TRW has an engineering career ladder that is designed to provide career growth and recognition for those engineers that carry out a purely technical role. With this ladder, according to Adkins, engineers can achieve the same levels of status and reward as a manager in control of approximately 300 engineering staff.

Recognizing that hierarchies are flattening, TRW has also developed alternative career development opportunities ranging from horizontal moves to international assignments. "Numerous opportunities are provided by the wide global spread of business operations, platform customers, and end user airlines," Adkins explained. "The horizontal move out of the engineering discipline, either as a temporary or a permanent progression, is actively encouraged to broaden engineers' exposure to the full range of business activities." The potential for flexibility in an engineer's career path with a particular company may also be the perk that attracts and/or retains good engineering talent.

"The aerospace business generally has an edge on other industries in its ability to provide exciting and challenging work," Adkins said. "Most engineers view their day-to-day work (producing aircraft) as being part of a larger team, often global. It is important to ensure that this line of sight is maintained and the work itself is exciting and challenging. It is important to give researchers the required degree of freedom. It is important to respect and trust their expertise."

More 1 2 3 4 5