There
have been discontents within the engineering community over wages disparity compared
to other professionals. The younger generation of Engineers are especially more
vociferous and often cited the lifestyles of management and medical personnel
and legal professionals to back their claims.
The
argument is often that since the engineers spent years in schools (and
additional mandatory postgraduate training years) under rigorous environment
before they become professionals, they should be automatically rewarded in
financial remuneration when employed. From civil services to consulting, construction
and telecom et al: the story is the same. Engineers feel less appreciated by
the system they are serving. The only section that appear to be faring better
are the oil and gas, telecom and perhaps the aviation which place high premium on
remuneration in order to retain talents.
What are
the factors that contributed into this situation? Surely, it is hard to blame
one single factor or pile all the blame the doorstep of one single person or
body. There are cumulative elements which conspired together to push the
engineers in Nigerian into this state.
Below are
some of the reasons.
DEMAND
AND SUPPLY:
In
today's Nigeria, there is oversupply of engineering personnel into an
unavailable and shrinking labour market. The universities and polytechnics
combined have been producing graduates who are mostly competing for dwindling
jobs. To make matter worse, the system is not actively promoting engineering
entrepreneurship. At least not supporting it in the way it deserves (I will
write separately on this topic later).
Due to
this imbalance between demand and supply forces, many engineering employers
"over-employed" staff into their companies and hence take delight in
fixing their staff salary below the expected standard to balance book. Knowing full
well that there are thousands waiting in the wing who are ready to accept lower
salary for the same job, the employers hold the ace.
ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN AFFECTING ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES
It is
disturbing to note that Nigerian Engineering industry is actually shrinking
compared to its capability and the opportunities abounding in the land. With
massively inadequate infrastructures, acute power supply as well as high demand
for technology products and services, one expects that Nigerian engineers
should be among the most fortunate as these problems should open up
opportunities for them to create jobs as they deploy their skills into tackling
society's problems, thereby empowering themselves and the rest of
the population. Alas the opposite is what obtained. Our engineering
capabilities are grossly under utilised.
As the
economy bit harder, you read of construction firms shutting down or recording
financial losses. You see manufacturing firms downsizing and then you see some engineers
going into financial sector to work as marketers and teller. Most of the
companies are just barely surviving. Take the Brewery industry as an exception.
NIGERIANS’
LOVE FOR FOREIGN MADE GOODS AND SERVICES
Ironically,
our general consumption pattern continues to rise. And this gap is merrily
filled by our obsession for foreign goods. It is so unthinkably absurd to an
extent that Nigeria burns the woods and import toothpicks! This is a self
inflicted problem that gradually, transforms the country into a consuming
nation. A dumping ground of all sort of foreign goods.
The few
operating industries are increasingly subject to the competition with foreign
made products which are generally cheaper. Suffice to say that our penchant for
consumption of foreign made goods and patronizing of foreign services conspired
with our poor infrastructures, to reduce many of our productive engineering
activities. The bulk of engineering activities are restricted to services,
consulting, power, manufacturing, maintenance and repairs, most of which can
equally be handled by well trained technicians. The employers, therefore, have
no qualm in employing technicians to handle some of these jobs at lower
salaries. And where engineers are called upon, it always a "take it or
leave" attitude.
ENGINEERS
SHORTCHANGING THEMSELVES
Due to
high rate of unemployment in the country and a few industrial concerns to
absorb the surplus engineers, many engineering personnel, especially
desperate younger ones, have been known to shortchange themselves and devalue
their professional services in a bit to outsmart their colleagues (and
competitors) to secure the available job. They reason that once they get the
experience or a "better place", They will exit the company.
Some even rationalise that "half bread is better than none”; while some
think when they secure the job the employer would see their values and increase
the salary.
Sometimes
the latter category was right. Most employers don't want to gamble on young
engineers by signing big employment contract with them only to find out they
are not worth it. Smart companies however recognise the indispensable staff and
tie them down to the job by improving the employee's remuneration after passing
the probation period. This is not obtainable in every company and there is no
way in knowing unless the employer hinted so in advance. Evidently, it is a
gamble.
In the
long run, the repeatedly sustained culture of lower wages soon becomes the
"normal". Some firms would even want to reduce it further if
they observe that there are other engineers who can take less or the company is
not achieving its financial targets.
SOME
ENGINEERS NOT RESPECTING THEIR OWN PROFESSION
It is a
known fact that a couple of engineers in entrepreneurship underpay their
engineering staff while overpaying non engineering staff working on engineering
projects. Whatever would make, for instance, a janitor or bookkeeper earn more
than an engineer working on a site in the an engineering company, no matter his
qualifications is a baffling professional judgment.
If we
undervalued ourselves we cannot expect outsiders to fare better. There is
nothing more injurious to a child than for his own father to publicly label him
as "unworthy" and back it up with action by treating him in front of
neighbours in unworthy manners. . Such a father would lose moral respect if he
tells outsiders to respect his child. It cannot work that way. Charity has to
begin from home. When Engineering entrepreneurs start placing high values on
their engineering staff, other non engineering entrepreneurs including
government would take note and follow their footstep one way or the other.
GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS
Government
does not have any special regulation on engineering salary scale. The NSE and
COREN have however commenced works on this and have been talking to government
over this. Until such time where engineers have minimum Salary scale, they
would be subject to the whims of employers, market forces, and civil service
rules.
HND/BSC DICHOTOMY
Some
Engineers, in their fight for superiority contest sometimes reason that their
counterparts in technology are destined for lower paycheck. This internal
superiority battle among the specialists can disrupt wages in open
labour market when employers found the Technologists are as competent on the
same job as the engineers. Naturally, the technologist's self interest would
override any other considerations as he aims to prove himself very capable even
if he has to bargain for lower paycheck. The temptation to lower his wage
demand compared to his rivals to secure the dream job is always in the making.
LOW
QUALITY GRADUATES AND POOR NEGOTIATION SKILL
Graduates
with marginal skill or experience or even zero experience cannot bargain their
way into high wages unless they are working for multinational firms with
reputation for high wages. Employers that want to make good use of the
engineering skills of their employee do not pay employee to learn. They do not
pay employee huge wage bills to sit back and acquire experience. They pay for
potential benefits the employee would bring to the table. They pay for talents
that can be developed to serve the company's interest. It is therefore not
surprising that companies pay less to engineers who they want to train.
What even
make this so is the fact that in today's competitive work environment, workers
have freedom to move to new companies. I have a friend who sent his staff
abroad for expensive trainings and once the training was over, the lads simply
absconded and joined rival firm for higher wage. It is therefore not surprising
that many companies, having repeatedly lose the staff they trained to their competitors;
decided to underpay to staff that is learning on the job. The staff would earn
his raise along the line.
On the
other hand, many skilled engineers are dictating their own wages having proven
to the employer they are more than capable. The other side of this is poor
negotiating skills. You
can read here about negotiating skills for engineers.
COMPANY
FINANCIAL HEALTH AND NATURE OF ENGINEERING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Engineers
who work at a company that is not financially sound should not expect to be
paid like they are working for Google or Apple. They should be realistic when
going into such companies, as companies, especially those in private sector pay
according to their financial health and the expected productivity output.
Another
is the nature of engineering products itself. Many of the engineering services
and products are one time purchase. While some last many years before
replacement. We have more looters needing protection of law and more criminals
paying to get off the penalty of law. And humans don't joke with their health.
Not even the engineers.
The
amount of wages and reward received from some company is only in proportion to
their ability to generate residual income. You cannot expect a company to pay
you money they don't earn just because your expertise was acquired over the
period of 9 years of training.
I believe
there are other reasons why companies pay less and some pay higher. Young
Engineers should get themselves informed when making choice of where to work.
They should know where to vent their anger when it heat up.
All things being equal, the collective success of engineering depends on
our unity as professionals.
