1999 salary survey - Statistical Data Included

Electronics Times, Jan 17, 2000

Regardless of job status, the contributory pension at 66%, remains the most important incentive when looking for a new position, although this figure has dropped from 79% in 1997. Other important factors include private health scheme (63%) and performance-related bonus (48%). While share options continue to have relative importance at 42%, relocation expenses, which have not been previously recorded by ET's survey, affected 45% of the respondents' options.

One important consideration when looking for a new job is whether you may have to relocate. If so, is staying in the UK necessarily the right option?

The survey revealed that 42% of respondents would not consider relocating when moving job, although 49% felt it would not be necessary to have to relocate. Of those looking to move, the South revealed to be the most popular choice, while 31% looked towards the West and 26% looked to the East.

Outside the UK, the US was the most popular choice of relocation, attracting 20% of all respondents. This includes 30% of those working in R&D, 24% in sales and marketing and 23% in software design. Europe held some attraction at 14% and, again, was of most interest to those in R&D and software design.

The number of respondents looking to become contractors is suprisingly low at 3%, including 15% from the medical sector. Earlier surveys did not record these figures but it would suggest some impact from IR35 legislation, which aims to stop tax evasion by taxing contractors' earnings at source.

It was first thought that the changes would only affect the IT industry. But it will also have an impact on the electronics industry, which is increasingly having to rely on the specialised skills of contractors to complete projects. The Professional Contractors Group believes that many contractors, including electronics contract engineers, may be driven out of business or abroad where tax incentives are offered to entrepreneurs.

Company start-ups seem to be growing in popularity, with 7% of respondents looking to start their own company.

Despite initiatives taken by the Department for Education and Employment and the Institute of Electrical Engineers to promote lifelong learning and the importance of continued education and training in the workplace, the average number of days training received in the past 12 months by respondents was four (including those answering `none'). 32% of respondents answered that they had received no training in the 12 months. The survey also revealed that those earning less than #17.5k and up to #24k a year received the least amount of training, with up to 43% stating they had received none in the past year.

With average basic salaries increasing, the electronics industry continues to be a safe place to pursue a career. But factors such as escalating salaries in the US, restrictions placed on contracting and the lack of continued education and training can only contribute to the continuing shortage of skilled engineers.

* All results based on 632 responses to a survey conducted in November 1999, sent to a representative sample of readers of Electronics Times.