Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
71 comments 
Brazil Faces A Serious Crisis: 75 Thousand Engineers Are Needed To Meet Market Demand. School Dropout, Outdated Curricula, And Lack Of Investments In Basic Education And Infrastructure Affect The Sector.
Engineering is one of the most vital areas for the development of any country, but in Brazil, this profession faces an alarming challenge.
A combination of school dropout, outdated curricula, and lack of structural investments has resulted in an impressive gap: the country needs 75 thousand engineers to meet current demand, according to the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).
Despite some advances, the training of engineers does not keep pace with market needs, let alone the reality of other emerging nations.
-
“No one will make us change the Pix,” says Lula after the US report.
-
Lula responds directly to Trump and says that Pix is from Brazil and will not change under pressure from anyone, after a report from the United States pointed out the Brazilian payment system as an American trade barrier.
-
Amazon has just announced a new fee on all deliveries, and your online purchases will become more expensive starting April 17, including for those buying from the United States here in Brazil.
-
He sold his share for R$ 4 thousand, saw the company become a giant worth R$ 19 trillion, and missed the opportunity of a lifetime.
The crisis goes beyond a mere lack of professionals; it reflects a series of educational, structural, and economic problems that affect the country.
A Deficit That Limits Growth
CNI estimates that Brazil graduates about 40 thousand engineers per year.
This number is extremely low when compared to other BRICS countries, such as China and Russia, which graduate over 450 thousand professionals annually.
According to the Federal Council of Engineering and Agronomy (Confea), between 2014 and 2021, the country lost approximately 150 thousand students enrolled in engineering courses, further exacerbating the deficit.
In an interview with the newspaper Correio Braziliense, Marcos Gabriel Oliveira de Souza, a mechatronics engineering student at the University of Brasília (UnB), explains the phenomenon: “99% of my colleagues stop being engineers to become programmers or pursue public competitions.
Working as an engineer requires a lot of determination and often family connections that facilitate access to the market.”
According to data from Professor Michelly de Souza of the Inaciana Pe. Saboia de Medeiros Foundation (FEI), the economic crisis experienced by Brazil between 2014 and 2021 also contributed to this dropout.
The lack of investments in infrastructure and technological development created uncertainties about the future of the profession, driving young people away from engineering courses.
Deficiencies In Education Compromise Training
One of the biggest challenges is the low quality of basic education in subjects like mathematics and exact sciences, which are fundamental for the training of engineers.
According to Michelly, “Children and young people’s interest needs to be awakened in a playful manner, showing them how to solve real problems.”
According to the Correio Braziliense, initiatives that bring high school students closer to the exact sciences have been promoted by institutions like the Company-School Integration Center (CIEE).
Mônica Vargas, Operations Superintendent at CIEE, explains that the organization manages 9.3 thousand engineering internships in Brazil and seeks to attract young people through partnerships with renowned colleges, such as Poli-USP, FEI, and Mackenzie.
However, many students still avoid the field due to a lack of affinity with mathematics or unfamiliarity with the possibilities of the profession.
As Mônica explains, “It is essential to make learning more appealing from an early age and increase the number of enrollments and completions in engineering courses.”
Curricular Reform Is Essential For Engineering
Experts point out that the engineering curriculum in Brazil needs urgent reform. Marcos Gabriel from UnB criticizes the number of outdated and impractical subjects:
“We have many experimental subjects that have no application in the job market. What we learn does not reflect the reality of the profession.”
Michelly agrees and advocates for the inclusion of practical experiences in the curriculum.
For her, the connection with the market, through projects and research, can help young people better understand the importance of engineering in the development of society.
Internships And A Welcoming Environment Are Key
The retention of students also depends on a more welcoming university environment.
Michelly emphasizes that “active methodologies, well-equipped study rooms, and modern laboratories can reduce dropout rates, especially in the challenging early semesters.”
At the same time, Mônica Vargas reinforces that increasing the supply of internships is crucial.
Internships not only prepare students for the market but also increase their chances of remaining in the profession after graduation.
Social And Economic Impacts Of Lack Of Labor
The lack of engineers in Brazil directly affects infrastructure expansion and technological advancement. According to the Correio Braziliense, crucial sectors like transportation, energy, and construction suffer from delays and high costs due to the lack of qualified professionals.
“Brazilian engineers are only valued when they work for multinationals or hold high positions in the public sector,” says Marcos Gabriel.
Outside of these contexts, many companies do not even pay the minimum wage for the category, estimated at R$ 7 thousand in the Federal District, which further discourages young people.
Michelly believes that communicating these impacts to society can attract new talents: “Engineering can contribute to a more just and sustainable future by solving real problems, such as creating clean technologies and solutions for optimizing natural resources.”
How To Face The Future Of Engineering?
Despite the challenges, Brazil has the capacity to reverse this scenario.
With investments in basic education, encouragement of research, and curricular reforms, engineering can become a more attractive profession for young people.
But what about you? Do you believe Brazil will be able to fill this gap and value its engineers? Leave your opinion in the comments!
Há última vez que me ofereceram emprego, era pra ganhar R$ 5.500,00, trabalhando 50 horas semanais e com uma bruta responsabilidade além de contato com equipes de outros países. Preferi continuar como motorista de aplicativo.
Sou engenheiro eletricista e o grande problema não é engenheiros formados é a grande quantidade de qualificações e experiência que são exigindos apos formação. A faculdade forma e o mercado quer um profissional pronto pra exercer todo e qualquer atividade com experiência, poliglota fluente de preferencia todas as línguas faladas no mundo e sabendo utilizar todos os tipos de programas existentes e IA. O mercado não quer um profissional quer uma IS.
Sou engenheiro e posso falar: monte um negócio para você! Achar que vai ter emprego é conto de fadas