The 3 Most Sought-After Careers in Engineering

Dec 27, 2016

Engineering is an increasingly popular field of study, and for good reason: engineers are both well paid and in demand. Engineering is also a fairly broad field of study—there is a lot of room to explore specific interests, and a wide range of options for future careers. There are certain careers, however, which seem to draw special attention, and remain some of the most popular among graduating engineering students. In Canada today, these are the five most sought-after careers in engineering.

1. Software Engineer

Software engineering remains one of the most popular careers in Canada, and fortunately, this popularity is coupled with an incredibly high demand for skilled workers. Regularly ranked as one of the best jobs in Canada, software engineers have the opportunity to make a significant amount of money, and to work on the cutting edge of technology. Software engineers often work with companies responsible for revolutionizing technology—they are regularly being hired by big name companies like Facebook and Google and are also vital to the growth of startups and application designers.

The increasing reliance on the internet in every sector also means that the expected rate of growth for engineers is very high. The US Board of Labor has predicted a 19% growth in employment from now until 2024, and the rate of unemployment for software engineers regularly falls well below the national average, in both the US and Canada.

2. Civil Engineer

Canadian cities are becoming more and more densely populated, and as a result,  new buildings are being built to accommodate growth and expansion. In Toronto, the skyline is studded with new skyscrapers and condos—projects that are happening everywhere as the demand for housing and office space skyrockets. There is also increased pressure to evaluate older infrastructures that require more maintenance as they age and can pose significant threats to public safety if they’re not properly inspected and taken care of. As a result, civil engineering is playing an increasingly larger and more critical part in the fabric of Canadian industry.

Civil engineers—those who help plan, design, develop, and manage construction projects for both for new development and for reconstructions—will continue to be in high demand as the focus on structural integrity increases, and as cities continue to grow. Civil engineers have also been an integral part of the environmental engineering movement by finding innovative ways to design, develop, and implement projects that make more sustainable use of resources. The growing awareness of the dangers of climate change has contributed to civil engineering being one of the most sought-after careers in engineering, with graduates seeing a career in the field as a way of using their skills in a proactive environmental capacity.

3. Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace engineering is one of the more glamorous engineering fields, partially due to the fact that historical figures like Neil Armstrong and Howard Hughes came from an aerospace engineering background. However, aerospace engineering also remains one of the most sought-after careers for its continued prospects and high rate of pay. The median salary for an aerospace engineer is 107k a year, making it one of the more well-compensated engineering fields.

There are two main branches of aerospace engineering: aeronautical and astronautical (although there is overlap between the two). Aeronautical engineers work with aircrafts (of the earth-bound variety), while astronautical engineers work with spacecrafts. While the room for career development in astronautical engineering is more limited, the prevalence and popularity of air travel means that there is always a demand for aeronautical engineers.

For more on this topic check out these related blogs:

Apply Your Skills: 7 Careers in Engineering 
Engineering Recruiters Can Help Advance Your Civil Engineering Career 
Engineering Recruitment Agencies: 4 Things You Likely Don’t Know 
Have You Considered These 6 Careers in Engineering?
How to Find the Best Engineering Jobs