Many experts continue zeroing on tech employment, being it is one of the top two industry sectors that have seen tremendous growth over the last decades and one that has fueled economic ups and downs for just as long. However, a close cousin to tech employment is engineering, and while in many instances those roles overlap or coincide, engineering employment continues to rise according to monthly job reports.
Economic Apprehension Dampens IT Hiring
IT and engineering jobs remain in demand in the long run as technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. However, apprehension regarding the economy is at a high. As the unemployment rate in the US sits at 4.3%, there has been a dip in hiring across all sectors indicating that until the economic apprehension clears, the expected growth is taking longer to be realized.
This underscores that the IT labor market continues to be affected as IT employment has not expanded the way it started off in 2024.
Engineering Employment Stands Out Amidst Economic Uncertainty
But while IT employment has been on the receiving end of economic uncertainty, employment in engineering is reporting growth. In the same year-over-year comparison issued by TechServe Alliance, engineering employment grew by 1.21%, adding 34,000 jobs to the market.
According to a report published by the Staffing Industry Analysts, engineering employment in 2023 was estimated as the third largest staffing segment in the world right behind IT and healthcare. Engineering staffing continues to grow as much as 3-5% as it is backed by investment, infrastructure, and advanced technology.
Engineering employment remains on a steady increase reporting new jobs on a month-by-month basis, giving confidence to engineers looking for work in a cloudy economic atmosphere.
Demand for Engineers
The demand and job outlook for engineers in the United States is expected to grow significantly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The Society of Women Engineers notes that cross-over roles that straddle both engineering and technology disciplines will see increases. For instance Computer and Information Scientists shows an outlook of nearly 23% growth demonstrating how critical software development is in technical innovation and digital transformation. Industrial engineers are also projected to experience significant growth with an 11.7% growth rate by 2032. This underscores the growing demand for skills related to optimizing processes and systems.
To fulfill this demand, it is important to note the opportunity to promote these positions within underrepresented groups, including women and individuals from minority groups. Despite numerous programs aimed at broadening the field’s diversity and inclusiveness, only 16% of engineers are women, and Black Americans, Latinxs, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders are also severely underrepresented. Increasing diversity and inclusivity in the engineering field will boast multiple benefits, including improving quality of work and innovation while also enlarging the talent pool.
Top Fastest Growing Engineering Careers
According to Indeed, the top three engineering careers experiencing the most growth are geotechnical engineers, industrial engineer, and biomedical engineer.
Geotechnical engineers work within civil engineering, where most of their focus is on soil and its relation to infrastructure. Industrial engineers work on productivity and efficiency, where conserving energy and reducing waste are key points of focus. Biomedical engineers develop life-saving artificial organs and body parts.
Other engineering jobs experiencing growth are:
- Materials engineer
- Health & safety engineer
- Electrical engineer
- Chemical engineer
- Robotics engineer
- Aerospace engineer
- Computer software engineer
Although the current apprehension regarding the economy is a notable persistent challenge for the IT and engineering sector, the value of expert and skilled talent remains. Engineering employment is expected to grow within the near future, unlocking thousands of jobs in the market, boasting a confident outlook for new engineers or individuals looking for a career change.
At SSi People, we particularly specialize in tech staffing with high concentration in finding engineering talent for future-forward industry sectors. Search our vast job portal for an opportunity in the engineering field and contact us today.
