Media kit
PageGroup, the leading international recruitment and temporary staffing firm, has published its 2024 Salary Survey, which examines more than 850 professions and 26 sectors. Focus on salary forecasts for engineers and technicians in 2024.
"Industry remains very dynamic, with a positive outlook for 2024. The ecological transition, driven by the deployment of new solutions and combined with reindustrialization measures, is fuelling growth in the needs of a very large number of sectors, such as aeronautics, renewable energies and batteries. Gigafactory" projects, in response to the need for electrification, are real catalysts for job creation. The industry is continuing to post growth in salaries, in response to a persistent shortage of candidates and the need for increasingly specialized skills".explains Fatine Dallet, Executive Director at Michael Page.
"There are plenty of opportunities for technicians, fuelled by an ageing population pyramid. In fact, manufacturers are facing an increasing number of retirements, which need to be replaced. As technical academic fields have long suffered from a lack of recognition, the profiles of young graduates remain insufficient to meet needs. This imbalance continues to fuel wage inflation of up to 10%. To meet this challenge, recruiters are opening up to more atypical profiles, paying greater attention to soft skills".says Tanguy Prigent, Senior Practice Manager at Page Personnel.
Industrial sectors driven by the ecological transition continue to fuel job market dynamism
The growth in recruitment needs for engineers and technicians is set to continue over the coming months. While some sectors are still lagging behind in terms of job creation, manufacturers specializing in the energy transition (wind power, electric mobility, batteries, hydrogen, decarbonization, etc.) are making a strong contribution to the dynamic search for new profiles. Large-scale electrification projects, known as "gigafactories", mainly located in the northern region, will create significant needs for specific profiles by 2024.
As recruitment becomes more targeted, it becomes more strategic for company managers. For technicians, the shortage of candidates remains a major issue. This implies a more open-minded approach on the part of recruiters, who, in the absence of qualified candidates and under pressure from baby-boomer retirements, are looking for talent who will need to be trained and supported during integration. What's more, due to regulatory changes, the study reveals very strong competition between recruiters for traditional Quality Health Safety Environment management positions. This high level of tension represents an opportunity for more senior candidates, as recruiters are looking for highly qualified profiles in the short and medium term, as well as in interim management.
Candidates continue to benefit from a buoyant environment in which to express more stringent requirements
As in 2023, the dynamism of the market is largely to the advantage of candidates who, aware of the shortage, are benefiting from an increase in remuneration, of up to 10 % for a change of position. For executives, managers and directors, fixed remuneration is increasingly accompanied by variable remuneration. Moreover, in this context of shortage, recruiters are increasingly offering "welcome bonuses" to attract talent from competitors.
Over and above their financial aspirations, candidates, especially younger ones, are looking for greater flexibility. In fact, they are restricting their potential employer's geographical zones, expressing a desire for less travel and a greater appreciation of time constraints. For several months now, candidates have been willing to accept lower salaries to work during the day rather than at night. At a time when business is less attractive, employers are introducing flexibility and telecommuting schemes, including for factory management positions. Balancing personal and professional life is a much deeper and more pressing aspiration.
Salaries in the regions
There are variations between Île-de-France and other French regions in terms of salaries. For example, Brittany and Pays de la Loire have salaries 15 to 20 % lower than Île-de-France, Grand-Est 12 to 18 %, Normandie 10 to 15 %. These differences are weighted according to the years of experience required for the position, the sector of activity and the size of the company.
Top 3 increases
- Maintenance technician: + 4 to 8 %
At the start of their career, maintenance technicians can expect to earn between €28,000 and €32,000. Between 5 and 10 years' experience, salaries will be between €40,000 and €45,000.
- QHSE Manager: +9 to 11 %
At the start of their career, salaries range from €55,000 to €60,000. After 10 years' experience, these profiles can expect to earn €75,000 or even €85,000.
- Technical/operations manager: + 6 to 8 %
For this function, salaries between 2 and 5 years' experience range from €85,000 to €95,000, rising to €130,000 after more than 10 years' experience.
