Survey

Why is it hard to attract and retain talented technical candidates? Is it just salary or a

combination of factors that lead employees to look for new opportunity?

SimSTAFF 2013 Salary & Compensation

I’m joining

you!

SimSTAFF wanted to find out the main motivators driving individuals to look for new roles. We surveyed our database of over 11,000 individuals

within the Simulation & Training community and asked the following questions:

1. What is the closest job title for your current position? 2. What is your level of experience? 3. What is the highest level of school you have completed or the highest degree you have received?

4. What size of company do you work for? 5. Are you satisfied with your employee benefits, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with them, or dissatisfied with them? 6. What are your annual salary expectations - expressed in thousands?

7. How likely are you to look for another job outside the company? 8. What are your reasons for leaving this company? 9. How well are you paid for the work you do? 10. How many opportunities do you have to get promoted where you work?

11. How challenging is your job? 12. How meaningful is your work? 13. What are your views on the state of the Simulation Industry?

• Introduction page 1

• List of survey questions page 2

• Survey data and responses pages 4 -15

• Job Titles of those who are not at all likely to look for another job page 16

• About SimSTAFF page 17

• How to use salary data page 17

• Salary ranges pages 18, 19

Table of contents

The Simulation and Training Industry has a wide variety of Job Titles – we selected 33 Titles to help respondents complete the survey.

With such evidence of specialization – what does that mean for

those coming into the industry?

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

What Is The Closest Job Title For Your Current Position?

More than 77% of respondents have over

10 years experience. Add those with over 5 years experience, more than 92% of respondents are

highly marketable!

What does that say for the industry ? Are we failing to attract the younger generation?

8%

15%

77%

What Is Your Level Of Experience?

1-5 Years

5- 10 Years

10+ Years

Over 75% of respondents have a Bachelors Degree or

Higher, with the largest majority being Masters level

at 42.3%

With less than 4% of Degrees STEM

related - the industry will soon face a shortage of

qualified candidates

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

Some College ButNo Degree

Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Masters Degree Doctorate Degree

What Is Your Highest Level Of Education?

Almost half of respondents work in

large Companies! (versus the National

outlook of 0.06%

Does that mean they have more time to respond to surveys? Are they are more vested in progressing the Simulation Industry as a whole – or is the Industry dominated by Big Business?

Small (1-50 Employees)

21%

Mid (51-500 Employees)

29%

Large (500+ Employees)

50%

What Size Of Company Do You Work For?

Over 60% said they were

Slightly, Moderately or

Extremely satisfied

17%

31%

12% 15%

9%

8%

8%

Are You Satisfied With Your Employee Benefits?

Extremely Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Slightly Satisfied

Niether Satisfied NorDissatisfiedSlightly Dissatisfied

ModeratelyDissatisfiedExtremely Dissatisfied

Worryingly for Employers - over half of respondents were Very or Extremely likely to look for another job. Add the numbers of those on the fence – slightly or moderately likely to look and there is a combined pool of over 91% of employees at risk.

Who are the 9% who are not at all likely to look? See page 16

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

How Likely Are You To Look For Another Job?

30%

10%

18%

9%

25%

10%

9%

Better opportunties

Company Leadership

Contract Not funded

Industry Changes

Pay or Salary

Misc

Not Leaving

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Why candidates are leaving

We classed a variety of responses into groups. Better opportunities encompasses responses ranging from more promotions and more challenges to flexible work arrangements. Miscellaneous

responses covered location, cost of living and personal reasons.

Simulation work must pay well. When less than 10% of respondents complain about pay levels salaries must be good!

What is the disconnect for

employers? – most are satisfied but 25% answered

they were looking for salary increases!

8%

32%

38%

13%

9%

How Well Are You Paid For The Work You Do?

Extremely Well

Very Well

Moderately Well

Slightly Well

Not At All Well

A very large proportion at 72.4%

had few or no opportunities for

promotion at work!

Was lack of promotion a key motivational factor for the 30% looking for better opportunities?

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

A Great Deal A Lot A Moderate Amount A Few None At All

How Many Opportunities Do You Have To Get Promoted Where You Work?

Employees are not bored in the Simulation Industry. Only 5.2% were not challenged in their work.

Clearly the Simulation Industry is interesting, even

to the highly

educated!

13%

38% 32%

12% 5%

How Challenging Is Your Job?

Extremely Challenging Very Challenging

Moderately Challenging Slightly Challenging

Not At All Challenging

Very few respondents felt their work was not meaningful

3.4%

It is a great reflection on the industry when so many employees think their work is very or extremely meaningful at 61%

Extremely Meaningful Very Meaningful ModeratelyMeaningful

Slightly Meaningful Not At All Meaningful

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

How Meaningful Is Your Work?

Views on state of the Simulation Industry

Having been in gaming a few

years now simulation seems to be a bit behind

graphically and artistically

I anticipate simulation will withstand sequestration much

better than some other defense industries. It is highly competitive

though

very good, as the DoD budget

shrinks simulation is more readily

accepted

Simulation is vital in reducing costs for training and in improving safety in the workplace

It's really rocky right now. Larger companies are really

hurting for business with the defense budget cuts. I actually feel safer in a

smaller company, because they offer cheaper contracts,

so the defense industry is turning to them right now

Simulation technology has

improved with relevant databases however has some ways to go in

terms of simulator to actual aircraft response and tactile

feedback the mantra

should be when the economy is

down, simulation should be up

It's currently still too DoD-centric. There's

a lot of room for innovation in medical and

education. I fear for our local sim

industry I think it is incredibly bloated and 10 years

behind the game industry .. started in the Links blue canoe and retired

teaching the F mdl ch47 helicopter device. Industry is growing in leaps and bounds. From a chart on a table top with an ink

rolled line to six camera visual is absolutely

beautiful!

all but war is simulation The industry needs to offer entry

level positions to allow one to gain experience to fill the high level

positions.

Sequestration is going to hurt, a lot.

Degrading. Without the big companies taking the

integration of Video Game Technology more seriously the Govt will

quite literally stop buying "big box" products

This chart represents the respondents who are not likely to be tempted by other job offers: Twice the norm say they are extremely well paid. MONEY DOES BRING HAPPINESS! Two thirds more than the norm are also challenged by their work – KEEP THEM BUSY! More than twice the norm viewed their work as Extremely Meaningful and thought their benefits were Extremely satisfying!

Remember this “happy” group is only 9% of respondents

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

20.0%

Those who are “Not At All Likely To Look” By Job Title

About SimSTAFF Technical Services Established in 2006 SimSTAFF focused on the local high technology community involved in Modeling, Simulation & Training. SimSTAFF has a proven track record of supporting clients with rapid, responsive and effective recruitment solutions. Now serving clients across the US and UK with many candidates being deployed in the Middle East.

2603 Challenger Tech Ct, Ste 130

Orlando, FL 32826.

Tel: 407-965-2596

Fax: 407- 264-8887

Email: sales@simstaff or jirving@simstaff.com www.simstaff.com

How to use the salary data. SimSTAFF took the respondents salary response data and discounted any responses that appeared either extremely high or low. The ranges are rounded up or down for

ease. Use the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranges for geographic increase or decreases dependent upon location. Go to

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm Choose your state or Metro area then choose Occupational Title for the latest BLS 2012 survey. Note: If you click on the Highlighted Occupational Title there are links

to National Statistics.

Salary Range Information

Job Title 1- 5 years exp 5-10 yrs exp 10+ yrs

Applications Programmer 30 - 50 50 - 90 90 - 110

Business Development 70 - 85 90 - 115 110 - 150

Capture Manager 60 - 80 80 - 110 110 - 135

Chief Engineer 80 - 95 95 - 130 130 - 160

Contracts Scheduler Planner 40 - 50 50 - 60 60 - 80

Cost Financial Control 40 - 60 60 - 80 80 - 120

Cyber Security 60 - 75 75 - 95 95 - 135

Electrical Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 90 75 - 100

Field Engineer 45 - 60 60 - 70 70 - 90

Game Developer 55 - 70 70 - 85 85 - 100

GIS Analyst 40 - 50 50 - 60 60 - 80

Graphic Artist 35 - 45 45 - 55 55 - 70

Human Factors 40 - 65 65 - 90 90 - 110

Instructional Designer 50 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 90

Instructor Pilot 55 - 70 70 - 85 85 - 120

Salary Range Information

Job Title 1- 5 years exp 5-10 yrs exp 10+ yrs

Mechanical Engineer 40 - 55 55 - 80 80 - 100

Multi Media Developer 40 - 50 50 - 65 65 - 80

Network Engineer 45 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 105

Principal Engineer 75 - 85 85 - 105 105 - 150

Program Manager 70 - 85 85 - 110 110 - 135

Project Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 85 85 - 120

Quality Engineer 40 - 50 50 - 60 60 - 75

Simulator Technician 40 - 55 55 - 70 70 - 80

Software Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 90 90 - 110

Staff Engineer 80 - 90 90 - 110 110 - 130

Subject Matter Expert 45 - 60 65 - 80 80 - 100

System Administrator 50 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 95

Systems Engineer 60 - 75 75 - 100 100 - 130

Technical Writer 40 - 55 55 - 70 70- 80

Visual Systems Engineer 60 - 70 70 - 80 80 - 100

Web/IT Programmer 45 - 60 60 - 75 75 - 115