JOB GROWTH OPPORTUNITY BY ENGINEERING DISCIPLINE
Engineering discipline	Good job opportunity	Good job growth	Slower than average	Little or no growth	Comment
Aerospace engineers	X			X	Foreign competition and air travel slowdown reduces need, but decreased college enrollment creates improved opportunity. Candidate shortage possible.
Agricultural engineers		X			Worldwide standardization of agricultural equipment a positive influence, plus increasing demand for agricultural products, more efficient agricultural production, conservation emphasis.
Biomedical engineers		X			Aging population. Demand for better medical devices; rehabilitation/orthopedic engineering specialities growing. Increased enrollment increases competition.
Chemical engineers				X	Pharmaceuticals best opportunity; next is nonmanufacturing such as research and testing.
Civil engineers			X		Population growth and infrastructure/security demands spur transportation, water, and pollution control system needs. Varies by geographic area.
Computer hardware engineers		X	X		Intense foreign competition; high productivity growth.
Computer software engineers		X			Increased cyber-security needs, new technologies and computer networking grow this field.
Electrical and electronics engineers, except computer	X		X		Employment growth from demand for advanced communications, defense, and consumer electronics tempered by outsourcing. Good market for consulting firms.
Environmental engineers	X	X			Finally recognized as separate engineering field; environmental regulations and hazard cleanup increase job demand. Shift to preventing problems. Political factors and economy could change market. Engineers must keep up with hottest environmental issues.
Health and safety engineers			X		Could be important when manufacturers want to cut costs and increase productivity, although sometimes seems to cause the opposite.
Industrial engineers		X			Openings through replacement.
Materials engineers		X			Manufacturing shrinking, but new materials needed for electronics, biotechnology, and plastics products.
Mechanical engineer			X		Demand will increase as demand for improved machinery and machine tools grows and increases in complexity. Emerging biotechnology, materials science, and nanotechnology creates jobs. Cross-discipline degree.
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers	X			X	Large number of existing workers retiring and few schools offer mining engineering.
Nuclear engineers				X	Few graduates, but equal openings. Needed for defense, medical, improving waste management/safety.
Petroleum engineers	X			X	Job openings exceed graduates; best employment is overseas.
Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, Engineers, at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm (April 5, 2004).