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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(NewsUSA) - Are you an engineering student who is surveying the career landscape for the best job prospects and opportunities? If so, look to aerospace and aviation.
U.S. labor statistics show only modest growth in employment for aerospace engineers, forecasting an increase of 8 percent through 2014, but industry leaders tell a different story. At a major technical conference held in May - ASME Turbo Expo 2007 - industry leaders cited an inadequate supply of engineers and research scientists to meet the demands of technology programs either in place today or planned for the not-too-distant future.
The retirement of engineers from the baby-boom generation will exacerbate the already weak labor pool, industry leaders said. Many of the engineers who contributed to the U.S. space program and growth in the commercial airline business in the 1970s will be departing in the next five years or so, leaving the industry with a serious shortfall in technical aptitude, innovative ideas and general business skills.
Recruiters of technical talent agree with engineering industry leaders; they anticipate jobs in jet engine manufacturing, government-sponsored research entities like NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense, and the development of high-tech computer software that aids in navigation and other critical flight functions.
Anticipated breakthrough technologies in aerospace include sensor-driven self-repairing aircraft engines and military jets that can take off and land vertically. However, speakers at ASME Turbo Expo wondered whether there is enough incoming talent to fill this void in the workforce.
Engineers who succeed in the aerospace and aviation industries have strong skills in aerodynamics, materials technology and computer simulations, among other disciplines. In addition, industry recruiters seek engineers who possess the higher business skills and abilities that enable companies to gain the competitive edge in an increasingly cost-driven, global marketplace.
Students and early-career engineers can take advantage of technical learning and enrichment opportunities provided through organizations like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and its International Gas Turbine Institute. For information, visit www.asme.org.
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