WANTED: aerospace engineers

There are many different viewpoints on the state of engineering employment in the aerospace industry. Aerospace Engineering editors spoke with airframers, suppliers, and academics to get their perspectives on recruiting and retaining engineering talent.

Over the past several years, the aerospace industry has experienced increased consolidation as well as record-level orders for aircraft. These dynamics have created many new challenges in the industry. While consolidation continues to shrink employment numbers, years of economic prosperity have prompted hiring frenzies in the areas of engineering. For some companies, this dynamic causes a recruitment problem, while for others, such as Boeing, it is just a matter of shifting resources.

Many airframers and suppliers continue to offer incentives and benefits packages to attract prospective engineers. Some have been proactive in their recruitment activities through education-based programs, internships, and career fairs. Companies have even begun using the Web with the goal of attracting younger engineering talent.