Electroengineering workers: skills opportunities and challenges (2023 update)

Summary

Electro-engineering workers accounted for around 1.6 per cent of all employment in the EU in 2021 and are mostly occupied within the construction and manufacturing sectors. These workers are important for achieving Europe’s hoped-for transition to renewable sources of energy and smarter, less energy-wasting built environment.
Electro-engineering workers engage in various roles in the installation of electrical wiring systems and machinery, electrical transmission and supply lines and cables, and electronic and telecommunications equipment and systems. Jobs within this group include electricians, ground lighting offers, automotive, lift, electricity distribution, and communications technicians, smart home installers, and vehicle electronics installers. 
 

Key facts

• Around 3 million people were employed as electro-engineering workers in 2022, which accounts for 1.6 per cent of total 2022 EU employment. 
• Between 2012 and 2022 electro engineering workers’ employment remained stable. Over the same period, employment across all occupations in the EU increased by almost eight per cent.
• Between 2019 and 2020, when the EU experienced economic lockdowns, 228 thousands electro engineering jobs were lost. Employment recovered to a certain extent in 2022, but by the end of that year, it was still 71 thousand workers short of the pre Covid-19 level.
• Many (65 per cent in 2021) electro-engineering workers are employed in the construction and manufacturing sectors. 
• In 2021, electroengineering workers accounted for 13 per cent of employment in the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector. 
• More than two-thirds of electro-engineering workers (71 per cent) attained a qualification level of ISCED 3 (i.e. upper secondary education) and 4 (i.e. post-secondary non-tertiary education) in 2021. The qualification level of the occupation is not expected to change over the period to 2035.
• Electro-engineering workers are mainly men. In 2021, less than five per cent of electro engineering workers were women. 
• The employment of electro-engineering workers is projected to remain almost stable between 2022 and 2035. Over the same period overall employment is forecast to increase slightly. 
• By 2035, employment in the occupation is expected to decline by some 90 thousand jobs compared to 2022. Although there will be a shortfall in the overall number of people working as electroengineering workers, there will be a large number of electro-engineering worker jobs to be filled over the same period. This is because an estimated 1.7 million people are expected to leave the occupation mainly due to retirement. This means that an estimated 1.6 million job openings will need to be filled in between 2022 and 2035. 
• Technological developments in the construction and manufacturing sector - including technologies such as Building Information Modelling and smart sensors - will drive changes in the skills required to electro engineering workers in the future. Initiatives for greater sustainability and circularity, pledges for increasing renewable energy production, and the need to improve the repair of electronic devices will also affect the skills required to electro-engineering workers.
   

Employment and job demand

Employment trends for electroengineering workers were similar to all craft and related trades workers in the past decade. Larger employment drops, such as the one during the Covid-19 pandemic, were compensated by faster recovery in the growth years.

Figure 1: Year-to-year employment change for electroengineering workers (2013-2022)

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Employed persons by detailed occupation (ISCO-08 two digit level) [LFSA_EGAI2D__custom_7778289]. Own calculations.

The majority of electro-engineering workers (77 per cent) are engaged as electrical equipment installers and repairers. These are workers who install, maintain and adjust electrical wiring systems and related machinery, test such systems to identify hazards and potential failures and repair them. They also install, maintain and repair electrical transmission lines. 

The remaining share of electro-engineering workers (21 per cent) are engaged as electronics and telecommunications installers and repairers. People employed in these jobs adjust and repair various forms of electronic equipment, such as commercial and office machines, electronic instruments, control systems, cables, antennae, and other forms of electronics and telecommunications equipment.

Over the period from 2016 to 2021, the share of employment accounted for by these two occupations has undergone minor changes in favour of electronics and telecommunications installers. 

Figure 2: Employment in electroengineering worker jobs (in %)

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.

These two occupations are represented in online job advertisements in similar shares. For more details on skills demand and job openings for this occupation,  please access Cedefop’s Skills OVATE tool.

Figure 3: Online job advertisements for electroengineering workers (2022, in %)

Source: Skills in Online Job Advertisements indicator based on Cedefop’s Skills OVATE. Own calculations. Note: Online job advertisements are by definition not equivalent to job vacancies. See Beręsewicz (2021) or Napierala et al. (2022)..

The construction and manufacturing sectors employ over half of electro electro-engineering workers. In 2016, 33 per cent of electro-engineering workers were employed in the construction sector. This has increased to 38 per cent by 2021, potentially indicating the growing need for these workers to implement smart and related electrical and electronic devices in buildings. On the other hand, the share of electro-engineering workers occupied in the manufacturing sector declined slightly from 29 per cent in 2016 to 27 per cent in 2021. The remaining 35 per cent of electro-engineering worker employment is distributed across various sectors. 

Figure 4: The top sectors employing electro-engineering workers (in %)

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.

As regards the share of electro-engineering workers within sectoral employment, these workers form a significant portion of the workforce in the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector. In 2021, electroengineering workers constituted the second largest occupation within this sector, accounting for 13 per cent of its employment.

The share of employment in each country varies from less than 1 per cent in Denmark and Luxemburg to over 2 per cent in Croatia, Slovakia or Czechia (Figure 5). 

Figure 5: Electroengineering workers as a share of overall country employment (2021, in %)

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations. 
Note: Data for CY, EE, IS, LV and LU have lower reliability because of the small sample size.
LFS data for MT are not available. 

Electroengineering workforce is composed mainly of men. In 2016, only 4 per cent of electro engineering workers were women compared to 46 per cent in the economy as a whole. In 2021, there were no changes in the composition of the workforce in electro engineering and across all occupations.

Slightly more electro engineering workers are aged over 50 years old compared to the average across all occupations (Figure 6). In 2021, 31 per cent of electro engineering workers were aged 50 to 64 years compared to 28 per cent across all occupations.

Figure 6: Electroengineering workforce by age (in %)

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.

The share of electro engineering workers employed via temporary contracts did not differ much from the share across all occupations in 2016 (see Figure 7). Involuntary temporary employment is relatively less widespread among electro-engineering workers than across all occupations.  

Figure 7: Contract and hiring trends for electroengineering workers (in %)

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.

Skill needs and future trends

People employed in these jobs install and maintain electronic equipment and systems. Unlike in the case of many other skilled manual occupations, their work can often take place in people's homes or in various business enterprises or offices. That means that electro-engineering workers engage much more often with other people, and provide consultations and technical support. Unsurprisingly, they are also an occupation with relatively high digital skill needs, and comparable high upskilling needs, given the rapid technology changes in their field.

Figure 8: Skills, training needs and job perception of electroengineering workers (in %)

Source:  European Skills and Jobs Survey. Microdata. Own calculations. 
Unless stated otherwise, it is a share of people reporting that a task/skill is part of their job.
*Always or often
** Share of workers reporting these needs to a great or moderate extent.

Cedefop’s Skills forecast provides a detailed view of the future demand for electro engineering workers. Overall, employment for electro engineering workers is expected to decline slightly (by about 2.8 per cent) over the period 2022 to 2035. This means that, compared to 2022, there will be about 90 thousand less electro engineering jobs.

Employment reduction will occur across most of the analysed countries over the period to 2035, but the volume will vary country by country. Figure 9 compares the employment growth experienced over the relatively recent past to that projected to take place in the future. Employment in six countries grew in the past decade and it is forecast to do so in the next decade as well. France and Ireland are among those with highest past and expected future growths, while especially Bulgaria, Austria, and Slovenia represent the opposite trend.

Figure 9: Past and expected future employment trend of electroengineering workers

Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Cedefop Skills Forecast.
Note: Data for CY, EE, IS, LV and LU have lower reliability because of the small sample size.
LFS data for MT are not available. 

New job creation or loss is, however, not the main driver behind the job demand. Most job openings are a result of people leaving them for other opportunities, or those leaving the labour market completely (e.g. retirement, parent leave, etc.). This replacement demand is forecast to be the driver of the future demand for electro engineering workers, being estimated at 1.7 million jobs (Figure 10). Meeting this future demand may be challenging given the level of labour shortages currently reported for several job profiles within this occupation (see below). 
Overall, when the future job loss is added to the replacement demand, an estimated around 1.6 million job openings for electroengineering workers will need to be filled in between 2022 and 2035.

Figure 10: Future job openings for electroengineering workers (000s)

Source: Future job openings indicator based on the Cedefop Skills Forecast. Own calculations.

More than 70 per cent of electro engineering workers held medium-level qualifications in 2021 (i.e. at ISCED levels 3 or 4). This is not projected to change much by 2035. The share of workers with low levels of qualification (ISCED level 2 or lower) is projected to decrease from 14 per cent in 2022 to 9 per cent in 2035, while the share of highly qualified workers (i.e. those qualified at ISCED level 5 and over) is projected to increase from 16 per cent to 22 per cent over the same period.

Looking forward

All profiles of electro engineering workers are important for making the green and digital transitions happen. This will trigger a change in their future skillsets. Installers and repairers of electrical equipment will have an important part in renovating buildings and in setting up new renewable energy generation and transition networks, while electronics installers and repairers will get a major role in electronics recycling and repair to make the circular economy happen. The majority of electro engineering workers (about 65 per cent in 2021, see previous sections) are employed in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Drivers of change in these two sectors will impact the future skillsets of electro engineering workers.

As regards the construction industry, the Erasmus+ Skills Blueprint (Construction Blueprint) examined the evolving skill requirements for construction sector and identified several key factors driving change. Among those, the green transition, technological advances and regulatory changes are particularly relevant for electro engineering workers.

• One of the major technological developments that is already having an impact on the construction sector is the Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM allows all participants in a construction project (including architects, engineers, contractors, and owners) to collaborate more effectively by sharing and coordinating information in real-time. Electro engineering workers will need to interact with BIM to gain information about the instalment of electrical equipment such as cables and wiring (Schop, 2021). The internet of Things (IoT), which refers to the interconnection of everyday objects via devices (smart sensors) through the internet for data collection, will also affect the future electro engineering work. In the construction sector, smart sensors are used to  monitor and control building systems (Construction Blueprint, 2022). Furthermore public networks, such as wastewater treatment and electricity distribution networks (Cedefop, 2023) in real-time are also utilised in the construction sector. In manufacturing, the use of such sensors allows to gather data useful for optimising production processes and streamlining the management of manufacturing infrastructure (Bhaskar, 2022). According to anecdotal evidence, about three quarters of European electrical installation companies are involved in the installation of smart building products like sensors. Smart buildings connect the sensors to IoT technology for the optimal use of resources to address users’ needs, such as light, temperature and humidity condition, as well as power grid management and security.
• The shift to sustainable buildings and energy production has been advocated more firmly after the announcement of the European Green Deal (EGD), which hasan impact on electro engineering workers. The EGD encompasses a variety of policy initiatives that are seeking to implement fundamental changes into the functioning of European industries, including manufacturing and construction. Electro engineering workers will have to be well-versed in sustainable design principles. This includes knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, and design for end-of-life disposal, because they will need to consider the energy efficiency principles as well as the environmental impact of the materials they use (Cojocaru, 2022). Therefore, electro engineering workers will need to understand renewable energy technologies (e.g. solar, wind and hydro) and to be able to work with systems that generate/store renewable energy (IRENA & ILO, 2022).
• Circularity is another aspect of sustainability that matters for electro-engineering workers. They will increasingly need to work with systems that adhere to the principles of circular economy models – for instance, products that can be easily recycled or use recycled materials (Rizos & Bryhn, 2022). The Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) (2020) targets electronics and ICT as having high potential for circular transformation. Electronic equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the EU and less than 40 per cent of electronic waste is currently recycled. The circular actions foreseen for the electronics sector include also a right to repair, which encourages recycling electronic devices. This will entail significant upskilling and reskilling efforts to ensure the adequate technical skills for repair, introducing cross-European standards for repairs, extended warranty schemes and setting up national and EU wide networks of repairers (Moeslinger et al, 2022). In addition, the EU plans to achieve greater autonomy from and resilience of supply chains of industries (semiconductors, rare earth metals, etc) that are relevant for electro-engineers and have the potential to boost employment (Cedefop, 2023b). The recently announced European Chips Act (2022) aims to increase European global capacity share in the production of semiconductors from 9 to 20 per cent. This entails setting up a network of competence centres for skills development in the advancement and integration of these technologies, targeting also new graduate students. Furthermore, re/upskilling programmes will have to be put in place for workers transferring from other sectors.   
• Newly developed and renovated buildings and the way construction companies operate and organise their work need to abide by a variety of regulations, while rigorous health and safety regulations need to be in place to ensure workforce safety (Cedefop, 2023a). According to Eurostat data, construction and manufacturing sectors record the largest percentage of accidents related to electrical problems across all broad economic sectors. Abiding by regulations needs certification and creates additional demand for training.
• Filling in the projected job openings to 2035 for electro engineering workers is potentially threatened by workers’ shortages. A recent report by the European Labour Authority found shortages for building and related electricians and electrical mechanics and fitters across several Member States. These are included in the occupational group of electrical equipment installers and repairers, which accounts for 77 per cent of employment in this occupation. This indicates that workers’ shortages in this occupation may be quite substantial in absolute numbers.

Electro engineering workers will need to adjust to multiple structural changes unfolding in the sectors they work in – such as manufacturing and construction. Most electro engineering workers hold vocational qualifications at ISCED levels 3 and 4: based on Cedefop data, in 2019 and 2020 72 per cent of electro engineering workers aged 15-34 reported possession of a vocational qualification. Thus, the main educational pathways for electro engineering workers tend to encompass vocational education, both in school and through work-based learning (apprenticeships). As the digital and green transitions imply further complexification of electro engineering skills and knowledge base, continuous skills development remains highly relevant in meeting these specific skill needs (EPSU, 2018).

With respect to IVET, the European Commission has highlighted the need to draw more young people into construction and provide them with appropriate training to meet the growing demand for skilled construction workers. This also holds true for electro engineering workers for whom in many countries the required training is provided through apprenticeships. An example of IVET in electro engineering work is the training for the profession of residential electricity installer (installateur électricite résidentielle), provided by Brussels Formation. This is is a 10-month training programme, which knowledge of fundamental laws and dangers of electricity, understanding phenomena related to electrical energy, installation of electrical systems in a residential setting, introduction to eco-construction, IT skills, French language, and social rights. In addition, students enrolled in the programme will undertake a practical training at a company and will be supported in their search for an employment.

There is now a wealth of research, which demonstrates the effectiveness of apprenticeships in equipping people with the skills required by the labour market (cf. Cedefop’s research on the effective delivery of apprenticeships). The European Alliance for Apprenticeships provides support to countries and sectors looking to improve and expand the provision of apprenticeships. The IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) is the trade association of electronics industry, implementing actions in providing quality programmes through training and certification. The IPC mostly targets post-secondary students at universities and technical colleges across Europe to provide them with access to information on apprenticeship opportunities.

In addition to certified educational programmes, electro engineering workers will also be required to re- and upskill throughout their careers to be able to keep up with the fast pace of development of technologies and with sustainable development. Micro-credentials are an increasingly popular format of CVET, as they offer flexible modes of learning that can be adjusted to professional lives. Micro-credentials are certified short-term learning experiences that enable people to acquire, update and improve their knowledge, skills and competences for personal and professional development. For instance, a catalogue of training opportunities in the format of micro-credentials is offered by the ECoVEM project, which brings together VET centres, polytechnics, industrial associations, and social partners in a transnational collaboration platform for vocational excellence in microelectronics. Some examples of the modules offered on microelectronics include: Basics of microelectronics manufacturing, Microelectronics for greener economy and industrial applications, or Integrated Circuits Design.

In the European policy domain, sectoral skills development is also advanced by Blueprint alliances, which seek to forecast future skills needs and find innovative strategies for their development through transnational  cooperation. For instance, the Construction Blueprint develops a new strategic approach to cooperate on skills in the industry to achieve a better matching between skills needs of companies and learning opportunities provided by training centres. The alliance designs and pilots training curricula for Energy Efficiency, Circular Economy, and Digitalisation.

Additionally, the SPIRE-SAIS blueprint alliance addresses the new challenges of digital and green transition in European energy-intensive industries, including skills challenges for electro-engineering workers employed in the manufacturing industry (e.g. electric maintenance). The project aims to develop a pro-active skills strategy to assist the implementation and exploitation of industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency across such industries: chemicals, steel, engineering, non-ferrous metals, minerals, water, cement and ceramics.

How to site this publication:

Cedefop (2023). Electro-engineering workers: skills opportunities and challenges. Skills intelligence data insight.

Further reading

Alharbi, F. (2020), ‘Integrating internet of things in electrical engineering education’, in The International Journal of Electrical Engineering and Education, 0(0)

Beręsewicz, M. and Pater, R. (2021). Inferring job vacancies from online job advertisements, Luxembourg: Publications Office, 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-statistical-working-papers/-/ks-tc-20-008

Bhaskar, A. (2022). ‘How IoT Is Transforming The Manufacturing Industry’, in Forbes Technology Council, published 28 September 2022.

Cedefop (2022). Cities in transition: how vocational education and training can help cities become smarter and greener. Luxembourg: Publications Office. Policy brief

Cedefop and OECD (2022). Apprenticeships for greener economies and societies. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Cedefop reference series; No 122Construction Blueprint (2021). Status Quo and Sectoral Skills Strategy; R1. Skills needs analysis.

Cojocaru, A. (2022). ‘Designing Sustainable Electrical Systems with Energy  Modelling’, Williams Engineering, published 17 August 2022

Construction Blueprint (2021). Status Quo and Sectoral Skills Strategy; R1. Skills needs analysis.

Construction Blueprint (2022). Report on the professions and qualifications to be subject of modernization (D5.2.).

European Labour Authority (2021). Report on labour shortages and surpluses.

European Commission (2020a). A new Circular Economy Action Plan: For a cleaner and more competitive Europe. COM(2020) 98 final, 11 March 2020.

European Commission (2020b) Circular Economy Principles for Building Design. 21 February 2020.

European Commission (2022). Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe's semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act). COM(2022) 46 final.

IRENA and ILO (2022).. Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual review 2022, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi and International Labour Organization, Geneva.

Moeslinger, M., Almasy, K., Jamard, M. and De Maupeou, H., Towards an Effective Right to Repair for Electronics, EUR 31167 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2022, ISBN 978-92-76-55230-7, doi:10.2760/42722, JRC129957.

Napierala, J.; Kvetan, V. and Branka, J. (2022). Assessing the representativeness of online job advertisements. Luxembourg: Publications Office. Cedefop working paper, No 17. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/807500

USP. Three quarters of European electrical installation companies are now involved in installation of smart buildings products. 01 December 2022.