Engineering Technicians

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) provides the following employment outlooks for engineering technicians by specialty from 2023 to 2033:

• Aerospace engineering and operations: +8 percent. Demand will occur as technicians are needed to work with small satellites and develop new types of aircraft, including electric hybrids.
• Civil engineering technicians: +2 percent. The need to repair the country's infrastructure (bridges, roads, etc.), demand for more waste treatment facilities, and emerging job opportunities in renewable energy will fuel demand in this specialty.
• Environmental engineering technicians: +2 percent. The DOL reports that "some demand for environmental engineering technologists and technicians is expected over the decade as increasing concerns about pollution lead to water- and air-quality improvement efforts. However, employment growth may be limited as automated environmental testing increases productivity for these workers."
• Electrical and electronics engineering technicians: 3 percent. In this field, the DOL states that workers will be "needed to support the continuing integration of computer and electronics systems, such as those found in automobiles and in various portable and household products." However, automation may impact job growth.
• Industrial engineering technicians: 4 percent. The DOL reports that employment opportunities will arise from automation projects and the need to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
• Mechanical engineering technicians: +11 percent. Job opportunities in manufacturing will arise because of automation. "As manufacturing processes incorporate more complex automation machinery, mechanical engineers are expected to be needed to help integrate this equipment into existing systems," the DOL observes.

In many specialties, computer-aided design is allowing individual technicians to increase productivity, thereby limiting job growth. Additionally, some companies are building factories and research facilities abroad to reduce costs. This trend will most negatively affect employment for technicians in electronics- and computer-related specialties. Moving jobs out of the country is harder to do in environmental and civil specialties, which means that employment will be better for technicians in these fields.

Those with training in sophisticated technologies, certification, and degrees in technology will have the best employment opportunities.