Why Mechanical Engineers Leave Industry, Prior to Retirement for Teaching Roles

Abstract

With the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age there is a labor gap, along with a shortage of Engineers and Technical staff. More concerning, is why some engineers burnout early, shifting to other careers like teaching. The study revealed the numerous factors that drive engineers to leave their careers early to become Career and Technology Education (CTE) teachers, and to better understand these so employers can offer remedy to offset the loss in workforce that is already strained. This was done qualitatively through interviews to understand why those individuals left mechanical engineering to go on to teaching. This provided validated findings from a first-hand account by those that lived it and made the decision to leave engineering from a practicing perspective and focus on an instructional perspective. The findings of the study revealed that the number one reason mechanical engineers left was due to work life balance caused by working excessive fifty plus hours for extended months at a time. Next, was the level of stress that came with the job in regard to output and the deadline to achieve the desired result. This results in an average employment of seven- and one-half years prior to exiting their careers. Other contributors were lack of advancement, excessive travel, poor leadership, and limited project support. Employers need to be proactive if they are to keep their talent in place. Close attention must be paid to scheduling the workload and correct staffing levels to avoid overburdening employees. Regular one on one communication may also benefit.