Engineering Struggles
Just when you thought graduating and passing the licensure exam in the Philippines is the end of all your engineering challenges, wait ‘till you get into the world of employment!
Being an engineer in the Philippines isn’t as easy as many think it is. There are a lot of struggles starting from looking for a job, getting a good paying salary, to deciding to search for better opportunities abroad.
Here are some of the struggles engineers of different fields have faced or are currently facing.
Job hunting
Of course this would be the first in the list as it is the first task a fresh graduate/ fresh passer is going to focus on. While engineering may be one of the most difficult courses and one of the highest technical jobs in the world, many would expect that finding an engineering job would be easy. Unfortunately, in the Philippines, it isn’t.
While there may be many construction firms, manufacturing companies, HVAC retailers and electric power plants in the Philippines, they aren’t enough to cater the many engineers who are ready to practice their professions. As a result, many engineers, including those who didn’t pass their licensure examinations are sometimes forced to choose jobs that are not related to their field.
Salary
In Juny 2020, according to Payscale, an online salary survey portal, a mechanical engineering graduate get an average monthly salary of ₱28,638 PHP while a civil engineering graduate get an average salary of ₱26,941 PHP. Glassdoor, the world’s famous comparative salary website says that Metro Manila’s monthly salary of an engineer (any field) is around 28,125 PHP.
Well these salary rates is based on the premise that that you have 3-5 years work experience in the same field. A newly engineering graduate will most probably get above minimum wage.
In March 2016, according to an article in Philippine Star, a news publication in the Philippines, fresh “engineering graduates get an average salary of 19, 000 PHP compared to non-technical positions that offer an average of 15,000 PHP,” Seek Asia Regional Manager Yoda Buyco said.
Though there may be fewer job openings for fresh engineering graduates, Buyco said that “engineering jobs are growing across all positions and levels.”
This may be the average in big cities like Manila, but what about engineering companies in the provinces? It’s important to note that many engineering factories in the Philippines are found in the provinces.
There are entry level engineers that get a salary ranging around 10,000-15,000 PHP every month, which may not be enough especially for engineers who have to rent their own place due to relocation.
Relocation
Since most engineering companies like firms, manufacturing companies and power plants are based in PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority). Many engineers who live from distant locations have to relocate.
Though relocation may be something normal when looking for a job, I still think it’s a struggle especially for engineers who already have families.
More opportunities abroad
Many engineers choose to practice their profession abroad. Why?
First of all, it’s the salary. Salary for engineers in other countries are far greater than that of the salaries in the Philippines. Also, many engineers prefer to pursue advanced studies in engineering in other countries since other countries have better technology, and equipment for training.
These may be just a few main reasons and are just from my own opinion and experience.
But there is a catch… you need a visa and worst, you need a Covid-19 clearance.
Job Opportunities During COVID-19
The coronavirus ravaged the entire engineering industries around the world. Thus, technology companies like Lenovo, tech giant Apple, South Korea’s Samsung, HP, China’s Huawei, LG and Sony are on freeze-hiring and on on hold. All their engineering workforce are safe for now.
Software companies like AVAST, Bill Gate’s Microsoft and famous AutoCAD maker Autodesk are still hiring but requiring highly qualified engineers.
How about in construction industry?
The Philippines still has several mega-projects for infrastructure, condominium towers and private residential subdivisions. Construction are still in demand but the salary is just way below as compared to other countries.
There are still civil engineering job opportunities in the Middle East, Europe and China. The off-shot of civil engineering is the heavy equipment industries like Caterpillar, Hyundai, Volvo and Komatsu. The requirements are mechanical engineers as well as electrical.
You just have to look at the job websites which we will announce later.
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Article Source: Philstar
