Australia’s engineering consultancies are facing unprecedented opportunity – and unprecedented pressure.
A new Projectworks report warns that while infrastructure and energy pipelines are strong, many firms risk faltering without tighter operational control.
“The work is flowing, but the pressure’s rising,” Projectworks CEO Mark Orttung says in the report.
“The pipeline keeps moving faster, staff are stretched thin, and margins are tighter than ever.”
The report, produced in partnership with Engineers Australia, highlights key challenges confronting the sector: rising demand from the energy transition, transport upgrades and climate resilience projects; a tight labour market; and razor-thin margins.
It argues that success will hinge less on headcount and more on visibility, discipline and data-driven decision-making.
To that end, Projectworks introduces a ‘Project Intelligence Audit’, a framework designed to help consultancies benchmark their growth readiness.
The audit tests firms across four dimensions – operational efficiency, customer experience, financial health, and new technology adoption – scoring them on practices from timesheet integration to forecasting accuracy and AI use.
The report also sets out five critical performance metrics for scaling sustainably: gross margin, human utilisation, book-to-bill ratio, commodity versus premium project mix, and tech utilisation.
Gross margin of around 30 per cent is identified as a healthy baseline, with 70–80 per cent staff utilisation cited as sustainable. Falling below those benchmarks signals financial weakness, while overloading staff risks burnout and attrition.
According to Projectworks, firms that implement system-wide visibility can shift from “guesswork to growth”, reducing leakage, capturing full billable value, and freeing up capacity for innovation.
“Moments like this define industries. They test your systems, your leadership, and your appetite to grow when the heat’s on,” Orttung says.
The free report is accessible here.
