Mr. Hegger, you and your committee colleagues Michael Schanz and Prof. Michael Berger from the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology course at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences have just given an up-to-date overview of the skills shortage for electronics engineers and warned against underestimating the situation. Developments such as IoT and embedded systems in particular are expected to further exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers. What is the current situation on the job market for embedded specialists?

We have been pointing out the worsening situation on the job market for electrical engineers for some time in the VDE Beruf Gesellschaft Technik committee. I would like to refer once again to our study in collaboration with the IW Cologne from summer 2016, which is based on the microcensus and in which we expect a gap of 100,000 missing electrical and information technology engineers in the next 10 years.

Thomas Hegger, personnel consultant from Berlin and head of the VDE committee 'Occupation Society and Technology'.

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The number of graduates is already insufficient to fill the gaps left by retiring electrical engineers.

Digitalization in particular, which is permeating our lives in almost all areas - Industry 4.0, IoT, Smart X, eMobility, autonomous driving, etc. - is not possible without embedded systems. Embedded systems are an essential part of digitalization!

In recent years, the demand for development engineers (hardware and software) for embedded systems, but also for sales engineers, has increased significantly. From the engineers' point of view, the job market looks very good; from the companies' point of view, the trend is towards 'catastrophic'.
Companies are having to invest more and more time and effort to fill positions for embedded experts. At the same time, companies must create a (working) environment in which employees feel comfortable and through which a close bond with the company is created and maintained.

Which profiles and skills are currently in high demand?

Companies have a need in both development and sales. In our view, the need for embedded software developers is most pronounced. This can be explained by the fact that software development departments are becoming larger and larger, as software is the greatest source of added value.

The need for hardware developers is lower, but should not be underestimated. The hardware provides the basis on which the software runs. Both universities and companies must not let hardware developers fall by the wayside, but must continue to train them in the same way as software developers.

In addition to development, the need for technical sales has also grown. There is an increasing demand for application-specific solutions. The sales engineer is increasingly becoming the "translator" between customer and developer. Sales engineers are expected to have a very strong understanding of systems, and this also applies to other areas in which electrical engineers work in sales, such as automation. Sales is supported by the FAEs, who assist with design-ins and support customers in their search for application-specific solutions. The fact that applications are becoming increasingly individualized and systems increasingly complex also increases the need for FAEs.

Can you outline this using a 'preferred candidate'?

The ideal candidate cannot actually be outlined, as the requirements for hardware and software have become so complex in the meantime that developers have to focus on individual topics. Particularly in the case of complex or technically demanding systems, hardware and software developers specialize in individual areas. For example, there are specialists in hardware for circuit development and PCB layout. It is also evident that the development tools used are becoming increasingly powerful.

As we have been observing for some years now, there is an increasing degree of specialization. However, this specialization should only take place on the job. Training and studies should provide a broad basis that helps to understand systems.

Desired candidates should be specialists on the one hand, but at the same time look beyond their specialization and have an overview of the system. The SW developer should have a basic understanding of hardware development, the HW developer should know what programming means. Both should understand the language of the other, as they work together in development projects. The increasing complexity of systems requires ever more intensive communication during development in order to recognize and correct errors at an early stage and to shorten the time-to-market.

How difficult is it for you as a personnel consultant to find suitable candidates?

The effort we put in as recruitment consultants to find suitable candidates, not just for the embedded world, has increased noticeably in recent years. The willingness of candidates to change jobs has decreased significantly, especially if a change of employer/job involves a change of location. If a candidate does not have to move for a job change, the hurdle that has to be overcome is lower.

The regional differences range between 'difficult' and 'extremely difficult' when it comes to finding suitable candidates. My impression is that the location for which new employees are being sought is becoming, or already is, a decisive criterion. Even for well-known companies, it is difficult to fill vacancies in rural areas and to find employees who want to move to these regions.

In my opinion, the effort for companies to recruit embedded experts will continue to increase in the coming years. Demand will continue to rise, there is a shortage of young engineers and they seem to be drawn to urban areas.