Current employment outlook for engineers ...

[dud]

I received my first engineering dgree about 25 years ago and things (employment-wise) were bad ... or at least they appeared to be bad. Engineering jobs seem to have been hard hit in this recession ... but how REALLY bad is it or is engineering bucking the trend?

It would be great for soon to graduate and recent grads to chime in and let us know how things really are, from the foxholes.

 

[FleshLight]

What field? Senior engineering positions in the water/wastewater field (+10 years with license) are pretty much in demand right now with many people retiring.

 

[calvinbiss]

I went back to school and got a second degree in ME, I graduated in 2007. I was able to find a job before graduation (had good grades). Since then, I know that my division has hired at least 7 engineers. I am sure other divisions have hired engieers as well (ME and EE).

I work for a power generation and distribution company.

Edit: I should add that I had offers from three companies.

 

[Zolty]

Every engineer I know that graduated in the last 5 years found an engineering job with in a year of graduation from UW Madison. Job being defined as something that pays over 45k starting and could be a career.

Here at ERAU Prescott the AE kids I know all seem to get jobs 50-70k starting before graduation.

 

[gwai lo]

I'm not a senior, but our advisor sent out an email for this year's grad placements.

Looks like more people seeking employment this year than 07,06,05 combined and we've got a smaller class.

Purdue AAE fwiw

 

[LordMorpheus]

It's not good, but if you're leaving a strong program you'll still probably wind up with a decent gig.

 

[MovingTarget]

Arg. The job market around here is pretty flooded, but then again I'm a mathematician and not an engineer. I suppose it really depends on the particular region you are in...

 

[Schadenfroh]

My uncle has told me that there is VERY little unemployment for Engineers / Computer Scientists in the Huntsville, AL area. I imagine it depends on what region of the nation in which you are searching for a job.

 

[0roo0roo]

industry always claims theres a shortage

 

[josh0099]

I graduated last year and didn't have a problem finding a job...The two engineers I was friends with that graduated this year got jobs as well....

 

[imported_Imp]

Graduated last year in Civil.

Only now am I getting some prospects. I'm waiting for a decision from a provincial Ministry for an entry-level job. It's been a week and a half since my interview, but one of my references told me that one of the managers called asking about me yesterday, so at least I'm still in the running. Hope I didn't jinx it.

Otherwise, I found out that an engineer with his own business lives on my street, only a few doors down. He appears "impressed" by me, and is willing to have me help out part-time. Unfortunately, it wouldn't pay well, and I'd still need a day job. It really is "who" you know.

One or two places I applied to e-mailed me with the "cause of recession, no money, not hiring anymore this year" line.

My guess is that civil (water, transport, structural, geotech) has it worst cause of the housing/construction melt-down. No one buys shit, no one needs more built, don't need people to design and supervise building. The lag from lengthy and expensive construction contracts probably made it look better earlier.

 

[Leros]

I'm not graduating but I know some people who are. They all got great offers. I haven't heard of anybody having any issues.

 

[PCMarine]

I just graduated with a BSME and am starting a pretty good job in a couple weeks. Anyone who has ambition and dedicates a good amount of time/effort in job searching shouldn't have too big of a problem. A lot of my buddies (engineers) expected jobs to land on their laps and did nothing more than take a stroll up to the career fair; needless to say they graduated without employment lined up.

 

[imported_Imp]

Originally posted by: PCMarine
I just graduated with a BSME and am starting a pretty good job in a couple weeks. Anyone who has ambition and dedicates a good amount of time/effort in job searching shouldn't have too big of a problem. A lot of my buddies (engineers) expected jobs to land on their laps and did nothing more than take a stroll up to the career fair; needless to say they graduated without employment lined up.

Most of the people I've been talking to have suggested cold calling, or meeting with companies. Not for the faint of heart, but it probably works pretty damn well.

Ya, that has a lot to do with it. Sending your resume everywhere is the worst thing you can do (what I did, and have been doing). I essentially got a half-baked job within a few weeks of meeting an actual engineer who own his own place.

And the funny thing is I managed to get a classmate a construction related job, after he quit his voluntarilly. I also 'helped' him get his previous 2 summer jobs, which is werd.

 

[BrownTown]

There are ALWAYS jobs if you are willing to look for them. Thing is alot of people limit their search to a tiny region, or a narrow career field.

The smallest region I would consider looking for a job is this country. Although personally anywhere in the world would be a better goal.