Construction, IT&C, and the automotive industry are the worst hit by the lack of graduates from technical universities. Employers estimate the deficit has reached almost 35,000 engineers.
The automotive industry alone needs approximately 15,000 engineers a year, which is double the number delivered by technical faculties in the country. "I estimate 14,000 or 15,000 engineers a year could meet the demands of the industry over the coming years," says Constantin Stroe vice-president of Automobile Dacia.
Romanian construction sites estimate they are short of approximately 50,000 employees.
"Out of this number, about 15% are engineers," says Laurentiu Plosceanu, chairman of the Romanian Association of Construction Contractors (ARACO).
Good engineering graduates can get a job in the constructions sector for at least 700-800 euros per month, but many of them are not trained to do what the market is looking for. "Graduates who leave university today can be good design engineers at best, but the market requires other specialties, such as project managers. The best will always find work and high salaries," Plosceanu feels.
The monthly net income of an engineer with a three or four-year experience ranges between 1,000 and 2,000 euros, while a junior engineering graduate earns 400-500 euros.
Although rapidly increasing in recent years, the salaries of the Romanian engineers are still nowhere near to those offered in Germany and France, where a Romanian engineer, with a few years' experience, can earn 3,000 to 5,000 euros per month.
"The salaries of engineers in the West are double if not higher than those of Romanians, this is why specialists continue to go and work abroad," says Larisa Condriuc, consultant of recruitment company Manpower Professional.
Highest-paid on the domestic market are the IT&C engineers who can e
