Researchers from the Institute of Statistical Research and Information Economics at the National Research University Higher School of Economics studied how many engineers Russian enterprises require. The findings were shared with socialbites.ca by the institution’s press service.
Over the last decade the need for engineering professionals has grown substantially. The demand rose from about 29.9 thousand positions in 2010 to roughly 79.8 thousand in 2022. The share of highly skilled engineering roles among all engineering positions rose as well. While the need for these experts hovered around 2 percent prior to 2018, it reached 3.3 percent in 2020 and climbed to 4.7 percent by the end of 2022, a level that outpaced the overall demand for highly skilled specialists.
Current data from the Higher School of Economics shows which engineering fields are most sought after in Russia. Civil engineering, enabling the planning and construction of infrastructure, accounts for about 8.6 percent of demand. Surveyors, geospatial professionals, and topographers follow at 7 percent. Urban planners and designers for transport networks represent around 6.2 percent, while electronics engineering sits at roughly 5 percent. Chemical and electrical engineers together make up about 4.8 percent of demand.
Beyond initial employment, the study also tracks how graduates apply their training. In 2022, about 71.5 percent of graduates who completed studies in 2019 through 2021 were working in their field. These qualifications span engineering, technology, and technical sciences and reflect continued alignment between education and industry needs.
Among recent graduates, certain engineering specialties show especially high retention in their chosen sectors. Shipbuilding and water transport engineering and technology employ the largest share of graduates in related fields, followed by electrical and thermal energy engineering and by computer science disciplines. Other strong performers include chemical technologies, technosphere safety and environmental management, and applied geology, mining, and oil and gas geodesy. These patterns illustrate the breadth of engineering opportunities across manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
Historical attitudes toward engineering careers have evolved as well. In 2020, surveys indicate that a majority of parents would prefer their sons to pursue engineering careers while a majority of parents also favored engineering for their daughters. In 2014 the preference levels were notably lower for both genders, signaling a significant shift in perceptions of engineering as a viable and desirable profession for young people.
Policy discussions within Russia have highlighted the expansion of targeted engineering training in university programs. The emphasis is on producing graduates with practical skills aligned to industry needs, ensuring that higher education translates into visible, long term career opportunities in engineering and related technical fields. This alignment supports sustained growth in sectors that rely on advanced engineering expertise, including construction, transportation, energy, and technology development.