Engineering Job Outlook Is Poor

BassCadet
Sat, 05 Aug 2017 05:11:07 +0000

As a long time EE (>25 years experience), I shall take a slightly contrarian perspective.

What the BLS data seem to miss is the cyclical nature of engineering. Engineering experiences demand and surplus. There are hiring surges and then mass layoffs. I think the different cycles cause the different BLS outlooks.

I remember taking a career assessment back in high school and it recommended becoming a doctor, dentist, or some other stable profession. I played around with the options and discovered that engineering is not considered stable because of its cyclical nature. The different specialties may have different cycles but they all have their ups and downs. Biomedical engineering is projected to be in demand because of the aging population, but I suspect demand will eventually drop. I personally think it is better to get a mechanical or electronics engineering degree and then find a biomedical related job because it provides more options.

Bottom line: pursue engineering if you genuinely enjoy it and would do it as a hobby. You will be fine. But if you are looking for an easy stable job, you might be disappointed.