EFCA: Championing young professionals amidst sector-wide skills shortage

At a time when Europe is facing some of its greatest challenges - from digital transformation to the green transition - the need for a skilled, resilient, and future-ready workforce has never been more urgent. At the heart of this transformation are young professionals in consulting engineering who are not only adapting to change but helping to lead it.

The European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations (EFCA) is proud to support and celebrate these rising talents through its Future Leaders network and the annual Future Leaders Competition Awards.

This year, the competition drew 17 impressive entries from across Europe, each showcasing the innovation, creativity, and impact that young professionals are bringing to the built environment. Their work reflects a deep commitment to solving real-world problems, from sustainable infrastructure to smart buildings, and reminds us that the next generation of engineers is not just prepared for the future—they are actively shaping it.

This year’s top honour goes to Anders Reinertsen Liaøy from Norway, a 34-year-old mechanical engineer at Multiconsult. Anders impressed the jury with a technically robust and forward-thinking project focused on reducing CO₂ emissions in the built environment. His work stood out for its integration of engineering expertise, stakeholder collaboration, and technological innovation—a powerful response to Europe’s climate and sustainability goals.

In Digital & New Technologies, Simona Corrado, Technical Engineer – Control Room at Acquedotto Pugliese (Italy), developed an AI- and IoT-based system to detect leaks and ensure the continuity of drinking water supply, demonstrating both technical creativity and real-world impact.

In Impact on Climate & Biodiversity, Mara Franchi, Partner and Project Coordinator at 3TI Partnership (Italy), presented a large-scale river restoration project, reflecting global priorities in ecosystem resilience and natural landscape recovery.

In Excellence in Engineering, Cian Long, Senior Engineer for Bridges and Civil Infrastructure (Ireland), delivered a complex bridge construction project requiring around-the-clock coordination across international teams—an example of leadership and precision in action.

Shrinking talent pool

But for such momentum to continue, Europe must urgently address its growing skills gap. According to EFCA’s latest Barometer[1], staff shortage is the number one challenge facing the consulting engineering sector today. Companies are struggling to find skilled personnel, a problem that is also contributing to rising labour costs, ranked as the third biggest concern. Engineering is particularly hit, and our policymakers should also be concerned. Indeed, EFCA was present at a meeting with the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, in April, on the subject of the forthcoming High-Speed Rail Plan for Europe. The lack of skilled engineers, in particular, was noted by other industry stakeholders also at the meeting.

A key part of the solution lies in upskilling and reskilling our workforce. EFCA strongly supports the further development of digital skills for the EU’s existing workforce, while nurturing the digital competence inherent in children and young people. These are the skills that will allow our sector to embrace emerging technologies and maintain its role as a driver of innovation.

We believe that this transformation must be supported by strong public-private collaboration. That means working in partnership with industry to invest in lifelong learning, supported by pro-digital policies and education initiatives. The New European Bauhaus Academies offer a promising model. They should be made accessible to engineers and architects to enhance their digital capabilities and contribute meaningfully to sustainable, inclusive design. We are no longer talking about just designing with Building Information Modelling (BIM); “AI in their DNA” is rapidly becoming the sought-after profile of our final year engineering students in Europe.

The EU’s wider efforts

EFCA also applauds the EU’s broader efforts to build a stronger skills agenda, particularly through initiatives like the Pact for Skills[2]. As one of the flagship actions of the European Skills Agenda[3], the Pact is a key step towards mobilising industry, facilitating trainings, and supporting public authorities to invest in the skills that Europe needs.

Through the Future Leaders network, EFCA is committed to giving young professionals a platform to connect, share ideas, and grow. We see the Future Leaders not just as participants in our sector, but as its fuel for the future, ready to bring fresh thinking to old problems, and new energy to a sector undergoing rapid change.

Now is the time to invest in them, not just for them, but for the future of Europe’s infrastructure, economy, and environment.