What Engineering Jobs Are in Demand?

Engineers are valuable additions to any technical team. Companies need their expertise to design products, so hiring managers are always on the lookout for professionals with the right specialties. If you’re still in school and seeking a career direction, your prospects of getting a job are generally pretty high.


However, some industries need more workers than others. Certain fields contain a significant proportion of aging engineers. As a result, these enterprises must hire quickly to fill positions vacated by retiring employees. Other firms may need to hire additional technical staff to supplement their current personnel. In any case, these fields offer new professionals exciting engineering job opportunities, as well as the chance to advance quickly and earn a lucrative living doing it.

So which industries are the most hospitable for new engineering jobs? The following four represent just a few of the trades that aspiring professionals should consider.

Software Engineers

If you’re a software savant who’s fluent in multiple programming languages, you might fit in well as a software engineer. These professionals design, test, and update computer applications across a range of industries. A versatile set of abilities will help you enter the field and stand out from the pack.

Unlike the other entries on this list, the number of active software engineers currently exceeds the number of available positions. However, the right engineers will find rewarding work in this occupation. Interested candidates will need at least a computer sciences diploma before they can enter the field. From there, they will need to undergo the standard licensing procedures and gain relevant work experience before they can practice as professional engineers.

Mechanical Engineers

Those looking to establish a versatile skillset should strongly consider mechanical engineering. Industries from robotics to transportation seek these professionals to develop and maintain the devices that keep their systems running. With a projected job growth of five percent through 2024 and salaries averaging out to about $88,190 per worker, this occupation represents a stable investment in your future.

Standard professionals will need to earn a bachelor’s degree and gain some knowledge of other engineering processes associated with the field. Researchers will need to pursue further post-secondary education to achieve their goals. As with many engineering jobs, work experience and accreditation from a professional standards organization are necessary to practice officially as an engineer.

Industrial Engineers

Technical professionals generally consider how small components add up to affect the bigger picture, but this is especially true for industrial engineers. These workers consider every resource as if it’s a cog in a machine, and they work hard to optimize these pieces so processes perform at peak capacity.

If you’re able to manage both people and resources, you should consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree that will allow you to pursue work in this field. You’ll be handsomely rewarded if you do, since the average industrial engineering jobs pay nearly $87,000 per year. The field is also expected to grow slightly between now and 2024, so you’ll be able to take advantage of many exciting engineering trends if you work in this industry.

Petroleum Engineers

The petroleum industry suffered massive layoffs when oil prices plummeted a few years ago, but its recovery is currently in full swing. As a result, companies are looking far and wide for engineers to replace those who found work in other fields after their dismissal.

If you can design oil-related tools and processes, work in remote locations and function as part of a team, you’ll be well on your way to an annual salary of about $105,000 per year.

You’ll also need some form of postsecondary education. Many workers attain bachelor’s degrees, but a master’s degree will help you gain a little cachet with hiring managers.

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