2,500 engineering professionals from around the world took part in our Voice of the Workforce survey. The survey sought opinions from engineers, who shared their experiences of past and current roles, future opportunities for industry and the trends they see across their sector. Read more at https://www.matchtech.com/voice-of-the-workforce#X2WW154018C8OYIE.99

1. 1

2. 2
INFRASTRUCTURE

3. 3
Contents
1. Methodology
2. Overall confidence
3. Reputation and travel
4. Current and future skills
5. Diversity & ageing workforce
6. Future gazing
7. Topical landscape

4. 4
Methodology
639
respondents
Senior / Middle
Manager
30%
Female
9%
Global online survey
Fieldwork:
24 October -
16 November 2016
Key demographics
57 Females
571 Males
Over 25
years tenure
38%
Gen X
44%
No management
responsibilities
33%
Key level of employment
Line manager /
Technical
manager
22%

5. 5
OVERALL CONFIDENCE

6. Q1: How confident are you that the sector you work in as a whole will grow and increase its revenues/income over the coming 12 months? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Two thirds are confident in the growth of
the Infrastructure sector
61% are confident that the rail sector will grow and increase its revenues/income over the next
12 months
25%
36%
19%
15%
5%
Very confidentSomewhat confidentNeither confident nor unconfidentNot very confidentNot at all confident
20%
Not confident
61%
confident
6

7. Rail is predicted to see the most growth
above all sectors
Q1: How confident are you that the sector you work in as a whole will grow and increase its revenues/income over the coming 12 months? Aerospace: n = 295, Automotive n = 236, Oil & Gas: n = 373,
Renewables: n = 91, Power Generation: n = 90, Property/Construction: n = 195, Utilities: n = 90, Highways: n = 116, Rail: n = 127, Water and Environment: n = 127, Industrial or manufacturing: n = 217, Energy
(grouped): n = 468, Maritime (grouped): n = 250.
72% Rail 15%
68% Utilities 10%
65% Renewables 25%
61% Power generation 21%
59% Water and Environment 18%
58% Automotive 17%
57% Aerospace 23%
57% Property/Construction 20%
55% Highways 22%
52% Industrial or Manufacturing 25%
52% Naval 19%
46% Energy (Grouped) 28%
45% Maritime (Grouped) 37%
35% Oil and gas 47%
% Confident
% Not Confident
7
Level of
confidence in
sector growth

8. Q3: Which sectors do you expect to show the greatest growth over the coming 12 months? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
42% of Infrastructure engineers who took
the survey expected Rail to grow the
most in the next 12 months
42%
37%
33%
28%
27%
27%
26%
19%
19%
18%
9%
9%
9%
8%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
Rail
Buildings/construction
Renewables
Transportation
Nuclear build
Highways
Power generation
Environment
Water
Waste Management
Chemical or Pharmaceutical
Oil and gas
Consumer Electronics
Town planning
Aerospace
Automotive
Industrial or Manufacturing
Nuclear defence
FMCG /Food
Shipping
Commercial
Naval
Mining and Geological
Leisure
Subsea
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Rail (42%)
Buildings / Construction (37%)
Renewables (33%)
Transportation (28%)
Nuclear build (27%)
Top 5 sectors expected to grow the most over the
next 12 months
Expectancy of greatest growth of sectors in the next 12 months
8

9. The majority still see the UK as a leading
player in the industry
Q4: Do you feel confident that the UK will continue to be a leading player in the global engineering industry? Matchtech (UK only) Total base: n = 1713
UK ONLY
CONFIDENCE THAT THE UK WILL CONTINUE BEING A LEADING
PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY
60% 23% ?YES NO DON’T KNOW
17%
9

10. There is less confidence about recruitment
and overseas income growth
Q5: Thinking about where you currently work, is the organisation looking to recruit more personnel in the coming 12 months? Q6: Thinking about where you currently work, do you expect the proportion of the
organisation’s revenue/income that comes from overseas customers to increase over the next 12 months? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Those who think their organisation is
looking to recruit in the next 12 months
45%
25%
?
YES
NO
DON’T KNOW
30%
Those who expect revenue/income from
overseas customers will increase
23%
48%
?
YES
NO
DON’T KNOW
28%
6%
10

11. Q7: How confident are you that your own career will progress in the coming 12 months? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Over half are confident in their own career
progression
56% are CONFIDENT that their own career
will progress in the next 12 months
56%
27%
15%
2%
Confident Neither confident nor unconfident
Not confident Don’t know
Confidence in career progression
14%
11

12. Q8: What level of pay-increase did you receive in the past year (excluding bonus)? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Nearly two thirds received a pay increase
in the last year
7%
34%
8%
20%
10% 11% 10%
My pay
decreased
I did not receive
a pay increase
Less than 1% 1-3% 3-5% 5-10% More than 10%
59% stated they received
a pay increase in the past year
7% said their pay
decreased
34% stated they did not
receive a pay increase
BREAKDOWN OF PAY INCREASES/DECREASES
Pay increase amount
12

13. Q9: How confident are you that you will receive a pay increase over the coming 12 months? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Only 41% are confident that they will receive
a pay increase in the next 12 months
15% 16% 28% 25% 16%
31%
Not confident
41%
Confident
Very
confident
Somewhat confidentNeither confident nor
unconfident
Not very
confident
Not at all
confident
Confidence in receiving a pay increase in the next 12 months
13

14. Q10: Thinking about future growth and development within your sector, which of the following do you think poses the greatest threat in your sector? Matchtech Total
base: n = 2522
46%
40%
33%
26%
25%
21%
18%
16%
13%
13%
12%
7%
Reducing budgets
Economic outlook
Lack of government investment and strategy to
grow the sector
Ageing workforce
Lower pay than careers in other sectors
Lack of prestige for jobs in the sector
Lack of graduates pursuing careers in the sector
High volume of regulation or ‘red tape’ covering the
sector
Lack of innovation in the sector
High international demand means many qualified
professionals are moving abroad
Lack of students studying STEM subjects
Lack of women pursuing careers in the sector
Perceived threats to the sector
46%
Reducing budgets
33%
Lack of government investment
and strategy to grow the sector
40%
Economic outlook
26%
Ageing workforce
The greatest threats to the sector
Financial factors are seen as the biggest
threats to growth
14

15. 15
REPUTATION AND TRAVEL

16. Q11: Thinking about the global region you currently work in, do you think that your sector has a better reputation and is held in higher regard than it was 12 months ago? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522. Q12:
You said your sector has a better reputation than it did 12 months ago, what was the main reason for you responding that way? Better reputation base: n = 853. Q13: You said your sector does not have a
better reputation than it did 12 months ago, what was the main reason for you responding that way? Not better reputation base: n = 989
A third believe the Infrastructure sector is
improving, but another third believe it is not
35% think their sector has a better reputation
and is held in higher regard than it was 12 months ago.
The reasons for this are…
34% think their sector does not have a better reputation
and is held in higher regard than it was 12 months ago.
The reasons for this are…
44% High profile projects
15% Greater national and government financial investment in the
sector
13% Technological advancements
12% Greater international presence and growth
9% Political/policy changes
2% Changes in the education system that influence the perception of
engineering/technology for pupils
25% A lack of national and government financial investment in the
sector
21% Political/policy changes
13% A lack of a focus in the education system about changing pupil’s
perceptions of engineering/technology
10% A lack of technological advancements
10% A lack of high profile projects
7% A lack of international presence and growth
16

17. SECTOR HAS A BETTER REPUTATION/HELD IN HIGH REGARD SECTOR DOES NOT HAVE A BETTER REPUTATION/HELD IN HIGH REGARD
In Infrastructure, reputation is strongest in
the rail sector
Q11: Thinking about the global region you currently work in, do you think that your sector has a better reputation and is held in higher regard than it was 12 months ago? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522. Q12: You
said your sector has a better reputation than it did 12 months ago, what was the main reason for you responding that way? Better reputation base: n = 853. Q13: You said your sector does not have a better
reputation than it did 12 months ago, what was the main reason for you responding that way? Not better reputation base: n = 989. Aerospace: n = 295, Automotive n = 236, Oil and Gas: n = 373, Renewables: n =
91, Power Generation: n = 90, Property/Construction: n = 195, Utilities: n = 90, Highways: n = 116, Rail: n = 127, Water and Environment: n = 127, Industrial or Manufacturing: n = 217
52% Renewables 35%
41% Power Generation 36%
40% Rail 26%
39% Automotive 34%
38% Naval 30%
37% Utilities 30%
35% Property/Construction 35%
35% Industrial or Manufacturing 37%
34% Aerospace 39%
34% Maritime (Grouped) 40%
32% Highways 34%
30% Energy (Grouped) 50%
23% Oil and Gas 59%
22% Water and Environment 44%
17

18. 47%
EUROPE
12%
N. AMERICA
0%
S. AMERICA
13%
MIDDLE EAST
26%
ASIA
1%
AFRICA
1%
C. AMERICA
Q14: Based on your experience, which global region do you view to be the most industry leading? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522, Europe::n = 2,014, Africa: n = 80,
North America: n = 115, Middle East: n = 110, Asia Pacific: n = 174
Europe is seen as the leading region
18

19. Asia Pacific 28%
Europe 27%
North America 23%
Middle East 14%
Africa 4%
South America 3%
Central America 1%
Q15: Would you like to move abroad to work in another country at some point in your career? Q16: If you were thinking of moving abroad for work, where would you
most like to move to? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522. Matchtech fly abroad base: n = 1234
Half would like to move abroad with Asia
Pacific and Europe being the most popular
destinations
48% state they would like to move abroad to
work in another country at some point in their career
13% state they are currently working abroad
Most likely place to move abroad
19

20. Q17: What would be the primary factor in your decision to move abroad? Matchtech fly abroad base: n = 1234
Lifestyle change is the primary reason for
moving abroad
49%
Lifestyle change
19%
Better average
pay and conditions
12%
Better career progression
opportunities
9%
Opportunity to work
for a more prestigious
company/organisation
5%
Greater prestige attached
to my industry in other
countries
Reasons for moving abroad
20

21. 21
CURRENT AND FUTURE SKILLS

22. Q18: Which attributes would most attract you to a new employer? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Good pay and benefits are the largest
attraction for joining a new employer
Good pay and benefits 60%
Interesting projects 31%
Interesting and meaningful work 29%
Good career prospects 23%
Convenient location 19%
Flexible working hours 18%
Flexible workspace, e/g/ working remotely 17%
Company values and culture 16%
Good company reputation 14%
Investment in training and development 14%
Diversity of the job role 11%
Opportunities to work in overseas offices 9%
Cutting edge technology 9%
58%
32%
30%
22%
21%
20%
18%
16%
13%
13%
12%
5%
11%
Attributes that would attract people to a new employer
22

23. Q19: Which of the following would make you more likely to leave an employer? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522,
Competitive pay and positive company
culture are key to retaining talent
Non-competitive pay and benefits 60%
Negative culture 31%
Poor career prospects 29%
Lack of interesting and meaningful work/projects 23%
Inconvenient location 19%
The values don’t align with my own 18%
Lack of variety in the work 17%
Lack of investment in training and development 16%
Lack of flexible working hours 14%
A very hierarchal structure 14%
Lack of flexible workspace, e.g. working remotely 11%
Low investment in technology 9%
Company reputation 9%
46%
39%
33%
31%
22%
18%
16%
14%
14%
11%
7%
6%
6%
Most likely reasons for leaving an employer
23

24. Q20: Do you believe there is a current skills shortage within your sector? Q21: In your experience, at what level do you typically see the biggest skills shortage?
Matchtech Total base: n = 2522, skill shortage base: n = 1745
Three quarters believe there is a skill
shortage within Infrastructure
Is there a skill shortage within your sector?
74% 18% ?YES NO DON’T KNOW
8%
And at what skill level?
22% 22% 17% 17% 10% 8% 4%
Line/Technical
managers
Non-managers Skilled trades Senior-middle
managers
Senior leadership Graduates Apprentices
24

25. Q22: What do you feel is the most important factor in addressing the skills shortage in the future? Q23: Thinking about where you currently work, which of the following has the
organisation communicated they are implementing to address the skills shortage in the future? skill shortage base: n = 1745
Promotion of STEM at school and
apprenticeships are seen as most effective
Most important factors to tackling skills
shortage in the future
27%
Promotion of engineering as a career
choice to younger generations, e.g.
STEM initiatives in schools
22%
Apprenticeships
12%
Changing the syllabus in
education to make engineering
skill sets fit for purpose
11%
Increasing the level of support
funding for graduates in order to
counteract university fees
What companies have communicated they
are doing to tackle the skills shortage
34%
do not know of any
communications about this
18%
Having an annual
apprenticeship scheme
14%
Upskilling existing employees with
the required skills
11%
Providing work
experience/placement schemes
for students
25

26. Q24: Would you consider transferring to a different skillset within your sector? Q25: Matchtech: Which skillsets within your sector would you consider transferring to/have
transferred to? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522, consider transferring sector base: n = 1662
Project & Programme Management is
the most desirable skillset to transfer to
54%
28%
YES
NO
Would consider transferring to a
different skillset within a sector
Most likely skillsets to consider
transferring to within a sector
Project & Programme Management 43%
CAD / BIM 12%
Site Supervision & Management 12%
Design 11%
Design – Civil, Mechanical, Electrical &
Public Health 11%
Installation & commissioning 11%
Already transferred
12%
26

27. Q26: Would you consider transferring to a different sector within your industry? Q27_Matchtech: Which industry sectors would you consider moving to/have moved to? Matchtech
Total base: n = 2522, consider transferring sector base: n = 1878
Rail is the most desirable sector to
transfer to
59%
24%
YES
NO
Consider transferring to a different
sector within the industry
Most likely sector to consider
transferring to
Rail 26%
Renewables 23%
Oil & Gas 21%
Power Generation 19%
Buildings / Construction 20%
Nuclear Build 17%
Already transferred
6%
27

28. TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT SECTORTRANSFER TO A NEW SKILLSET
EASY
DIFFICULT
51%
21%
57%
17%
Q28: What was your experience of transferring to a new skillset? Q29: What was your experience of transferring to a new sector? Already transferred skillset base: n = 321
Already transferred sector base: n = 240
Over half who have transferred found it
easy
How easy the experience was when transferring skillset/sector
28

29. Q30: What would have the most influence over your decision to transfer to a different sector/skillset? Consider transfer of sector/skillset Matchtech base: n = 1831
Interesting work, salary and learning new
skills are seen as most important
56%
52% 52%
26%
19%
12% 10% 9%
More interesting
projects and work
Higher salary Opportunity to learn
new skills
Higher demand for
the new sector/skillset
Faster career
progression
Retaining my level of
seniority
Demand for my
current role is
declining
My employer funding
any retraining costs
The most influential factor when deciding to transfer to a different sector/skillset
29

30. 30
DIVERSITY AND AGEING WORKFORCE

31. 1%4% 31% 46% 12%
Q32: In general, do you believe that gender diversity in your sector is…? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522, Aerospace: n = 295, Automotive n = 236, Oil and Gas: n = 373, Renewables: n = 91, Power
Generation: n = 90, Property/Construction: n = 195, Utilities: n = 90, Highways: n = 116, Rail: n = 127, Water and Environment: n = 127, Industrial or Manufacturing: n = 217
Gender diversity is seen to be improving
5%
Not improving
58%
Improving
Significantly
improving
ImprovingStaying the sameDecliningSignificantly declining
Is gender diversity improving in your sector?
Perceptions of gender diversity by sector
within Infrastructure
Rail
4% 72%
Water and Environment
4% 58%
Highways, Traffic
and Transportation
5% 60%
Property/Construction
6% 49%
Improving Not improving
31

32. Q31: Thinking about diversity and inclusion in your sector (e.g. gender diversity, ageing workforce), where do you believe the responsibility should lie in order to succeed in
making improvements in this area? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522
Diversity and inclusion is seen as the
responsibility of everyone
37% 13%
13%13%
It is the responsibility of everyone
employed within the industry to shift
our attitudes and behaviours
Whose responsibility is it to make sure the industry improves in being diverse and inclusive?
(eg. Gender diversity, ageing workforce, etc.)
Individual employers need to take
ownership in addressing diversity and
inclusion through their own policies
The Government need to actively
support the industry through the right
laws, strategy and investment
It is the responsibility of Leadership teams
in organisations to implement the right
strategy and set the example within
32

33. Q33: Thinking about where you currently work, has the organisation communicated to you that they are actively taking steps to address gender diversity?
Q34: Which of the following would be the most effective strategies for organisations to improve gender diversity in the sector? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522.
Only a third were aware of steps their
employer was taking to improve gender
diversity
Has your organisation communicated that it is taking steps to
address gender diversity?
37% 40% ?YES NO DON’T KNOW
23%
What would be the most effective strategies to improve gender diversity?
Provide better
flexible working
practices
Outreach activities with schools
and universities to raise the
profile of the
organisation/industry
Encourage and support female
employees to transfer into the
industry from other industries
Address unconscious bias in
management/leadership teams
Create more female role models
within the organisation
38% 38% 30% 34% 25%
33

34. Q35: Thinking about where you currently work, has the organisation communicated to you that they are actively taking steps to address the ageing workforce?
Q36: Which would be the most effective strategies for organisations to manage the ageing workforce in the sector? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522.
There is less awareness over steps
taken to address the ageing workforce
Has your organisation communicated that it is taking steps to address the ageing workforce?
17% 60% ?YES NO DON’T KNOW
23%
What would be the most effective strategies to manage the ageing
workforce?
Facilitate the transfer of
knowledge from older to
younger employees
Encouraging more young
people into the industry, e.g.
apprenticeships and internships
Introduce knowledge
sharing/management processes
to ensure that knowledge is not
lost from those nearing
retirement
Ensuring that career
development and training is
delivered to employees at any
age
Provide better flexible working
practices that will increase the
retention of older employees
47% 41% 39% 36% 35%
34

35. 35
FUTURE GAZING

36. Q39: How do you see your role in 5 years’ time? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522.
A third believe their role will change in
some way
35% 34%
19%
7% 5%
My role is going to change in some
ways but not others
My role will mostly remain the same My role is going to change
substantially
My role could be at risk My role won’t exist
My role in the future
36

37. 37% believe the company they currently
work at is proactive in implementing changes to be fit
for the future
30% believe the company they currently
work at embraces new technology and uses it to its
advantage
23% believe the company they currently work
at is aware of the changes to their sector but is not currently
doing anything to address them
10% do not believe the company where
they are currently working is aware of the future
changes to my sector
Q40: Thinking about where you currently work, which of the below is most representative of how the organisation is preparing for the future? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522.
A third believe their employer is
addressing future challenges
37

38. Attractive attributes in the Infrastructure
sector today
Q41: Thinking about what your sector and role might look like in 5 years’ time, what attributes do you think would make an employer more attractive? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522.
60%
36%
29%
24%
23%
19%
19%
17%
16%
15%
8%
7%
5%
3%
Good pay and benefits
Interesting and meaningful work
Good career prospects
Flexible working hours
Investment in training and development
Company values and culture
Flexible workspace, e.g. working remotely
Convenient location
Good company reputation
Diversity of the job role
Opportunities to work in overseas offices
A large client base
A strong social purpose
A flat hierarchal structure
Good pay and benefits (60%)
Interesting and meaningful work (36%)
Good career prospects (29%)
Flexible working hours (24%)
Investment in training and development (23%)
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Influence of attributes on attracting talentTop 5 attributes
38

39. 39
TOPICAL LANDSCAPE

40. Less than half are concerned about the
impact of Brexit on their career
Q42: Are you concerned about the impact of Brexit on the sector you work in? Q43. Are you concerned about the impact of Brexit on your own career? Matchtech UK only. Total
base: n = 1,713.
Concerned about the impact of Brexit on sector
40%
50%
51%
39%
YES
UNSURE
Concerned about the impact of Brexit on career
UK ONLY
?
NO
10%
YES
UNSURE
?
NO
10%
40

41. Q44: Are you concerned about the impact of the US Presidential Election on the sector you work in? Matchtech Total base: n = 2522.
Concerned about the impact of the US election on sector
24%
64%
A quarter are concerned about the impact
of the US election
YES
UNSURE
?
NO
12%
41

42. 42