WITH THE RELEASE of the latest blockbuster which has been filling cinemas around the world, it is hard to escape the name Da Vinci.
We may doubt whether Leonardo left codes and clues in his paintings for future generations to puzzle over, but we can be sure that he was one of history's great engineers.
He designed flying machines, mechanical devices and blueprints which turned out to be centuries ahead of their time.
If he were alive today, Da Vinci would certainly have no shortage of opportunities to put his engineering talents to use.
The demand for these skills, especially in Australia, New Zealand and England, is so high that overseas employers are doing their best to persuade engineers to relocate from Hong Kong.
'There are severe shortages of engineering skills in the United Kingdom, especially at the most senior levels,' said Craig Slater, business director of Hays Engineering in England. He said for job seekers, the engineering market was extremely buoyant, with many new projects started or in the pipeline.
Research done this year by the Henley Management College found that more than one third of British engineering firms believed the lack of qualified personnel had resulted in lower earnings and significant delays in new product development.