The Egyptian Engineers' Union has reported an unemployment rate of 30% among its members. In a recent interview on the Egyptian TV program "Min Maspiro," Union head Dr. Mohamed Abdel Ghani stated that the number of engineering graduates far exceeds the demand from the job market. He noted that only about 50% of graduates are able to find work, leading to a surplus of engineers and downward pressure on wages.
Dr. Abdel Ghani identified the root of the problem as the large number of engineering institutions in Egypt, which has grown to around 150 universities, colleges, and institutes. However, the number of faculty members has not kept pace, resulting in a decline in the quality of education. He also noted that the number of engineering graduates over the past decade has ranged from 44,000 to 50,000 per year, before dropping to around 29,000-30,000 in the most recent year.
The Engineers' Union is working to address the issue by reducing the number of annual graduates to around 20,000. Dr. Abdel Ghani explained that this target is more in line with the needs of the job market. He also emphasized the importance of improving the quality of education and training for engineers, in order to increase their chances of finding employment.
The Union is also working to develop a strategy for the profession, including the creation of a system for classifying engineers into different categories, such as engineer, practicing engineer, specialist engineer, and consulting engineer. This system is designed to be similar to those used in other countries.
In addition, the Engineers' Union is partnering with a research center to conduct a study on the specialties in demand over the next decade in Egypt and neighboring countries. The study will also examine the current unemployment rate and skills gap among graduates, with the goal of designing training programs that meet the needs of the job market.
Dr. Abdel Ghani reported that the Union currently has over 1.03 million members, with around 250,000 Egyptian engineers working abroad. He noted that Egyptian engineers are one of the largest groups sending hard currency back to Egypt, making it essential to improve their quality and employability.
The issue of engineer unemployment is a complex one, requiring a multifaceted solution. Dr. Abdel Ghani called for cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and the Engineers' Union to regulate the number of students accepted into engineering programs and improve the curriculum and training.
Key points
- The Egyptian Engineers' Union aims to reduce annual engineering graduates to 20,000.
- The current unemployment rate among engineers in Egypt is 30%.
- The Engineers' Union is working to develop a classification system for engineers.
