The New Year is going to be an exciting time in the engineering field, as this industry continues to grow exponentially. According to the most recent figures from the US Department of Labor, there were some 1.6 million jobs in engineering and these are expected to grow at 11 percent over the next ten years. This trend continues from 2011, which experienced the highest levels of engineering jobs in over 4 years, based on research conducted by Wanted Analytics, an independent career trend network.
Last year, Civil, Industrial, Electrical and Mechanical engineers made up the top engineering occupations, and with the addition of Computer Systems Analysts, to round out the top five in-demand occupations in the sector. (Source: Engineer Career Network) Biomedical engineers and civil engineers were in the top of the growth curve, with an increase of as much as 72 percent over previous years. This massive increase in engineering jobs comes from our nation’s pursuit of more energy efficiency and long-lasting sources of natural energy to sustain future generations.
In terms of careers, there are many opportunities with contract engineering recruitment firms like Venteon. To quality for employment, it is recommended that candidates have at least 4-year college degree in an engineering program, plus 1-2 years of on the job experience. In some cases, specialized engineering certifications are required to obtain higher paying roles, or those with more growth opportunities. Engineers should also focus on their key strengths when determining what industry to pursue, because engineering is such a vastly diverse career type.
The only potential setback in the engineering career world is that of the globalization of some areas of engineering by progressive companies and developers. In other parts of the world outside of the USA, engineers typically work for lower wages so there is also the potential for offshoring of engineering work in the IT, software and medical research sectors. However, savvy engineers will take the time to fully check with engineering recruitment firms to check on the status of companies who do not encourage this behavior. Additionally, there is a push for more work to be done within US borders to tighten up security and improve the quality of work produced, so look for more jobs as a result.
For help with your search for a great engineering career, be sure to get signed on with Venteon today. You’ll gain access to a wide range of engineering jobs and contract assignments, with companies looking for you.