Posted on 04/29/2004 7:21:28 AM PDT by Paul Ross
At the same time, however, rapid improvements in tools and technologies are contributing to the growing tendency of companies to view engineers as commodities, notes Teresa A. Helmlinger, president of the National Society of Professional Engineers in an interview with Machine Design. This is because such advancements allow less-qualified people to perform design and analysis. And the commoditization of engineering is feeding a disturbing trend—offshore outsourcing. In pursuit of the cheapest engineering hour, companies are not only taking engineering jobs overseas but bringing talent into the U.S. from abroad.
Once viewed as a stable and steady career, engineering is now grappling with the consequences of outsourcing. And the predictions are dire. By 2015, business analysis firm Forrester Research expects that some 3.3 million high-tech and service jobs—representing $136 billion in wages—will be transplanted from the U.S. to other countries. Meanwhile, research and analysis company Gartner predicts that by the end of the year, 1 in 10 U.S. technology jobs could be moved abroad. In fact, according to economists at the University of California, Berkeley, a whopping 14 million positions in the U.S. could be in jeopardy by 2015.
The lack of job security in engineering is making the profession an even tougher sell to U.S. students. “The fact is, the U.S. exports jobs and imports talent, so we’re losing much of the incentive for native-born students to pursue engineering,” John Brooks Slaughter, president and CEO of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, tells Machine Design. Last month, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan noted that U.S. colleges produce one-sixth as many graduates with science and engineering degrees as Asian schools do. And according to recent data from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the number of science and engineering doctoral degrees conferred in the country dropped again in 2002 to about 24,550 nationwide—the lowest number since 1993 and a 10% decline since 1998. In fact, of the four broad fields (physical sciences, humanities, social sciences and engineering) that registered decreases in the number of doctorates awarded between 2001 and 2002, engineering posted the steepest decline. And many believe that the U.S has to shore up such numbers and provide better training to engineers in order to stop them from being seen as commodities and to stem the tide of outsourcing.
The profession also suffers from a lack of recognition, with few Americans aware of how profoundly it contributes to society. “Unfortunately, people no longer understand what’s going on inside all these black boxes, and engineering has become a process that just a few people really understand,” observes Slaughter. Betty Shanahan, executive director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, cites a 1998 survey which found that most Americans (61%) know little about what engineers are or do. “Parents, teachers, and even guidance counselors don’t know enough about engineering to know its value or why it’s important to study math and science for an engineering career,” she notes. Exacerbating the problem, the term “engineer” is often used to describe non-engineers. For example, garbage collectors are now referred to as sanitation engineers.
Despite these issues, engineering remains a fulfilling career choice for many in the profession. In its annual salary survey, Machine Design collected responses from over 900 readers and found that annual salaries had climbed by $2,600 from last year to an average base of $68,000. Moreover, the survey showed that most engineers derive satisfaction from their jobs, with 44% reporting they are “somewhat satisfied” and 23% indicating they are “very satisfied.” In fact, a healthy majority (78%) said that they would recommend the profession to their children or friends, while an overwhelming 91% described it as fun. “Engineering is very rewarding,” Shanahan tells Machine Design. “There’s no better feeling than seeing the fruits of your work and the good it does for others. Almost every engineer can stand back at the end of a successful project and know they’ve improved the quality of life for someone.”
Sources:
Changes in Engineering
Stephen J. Mraz
Machine Design, February 19, 2004
www.machinedesign.com/ASP/viewSelectedArticle.asp?strArticleId=56639&strSite=MDSite
Engineering: A Dead End Career?
Sherri L. Carmody
Machine Design, February 19, 2004
www.machinedesign.com/ASP/viewSelectedArticle.asp?strArticleId=56640&strSite=MDSite
It’s Good to Be an Engineer
Victoria Reitz
Machine Design, March 18, 2004
www.machinedesign.com/ASP/viewSelectedArticle.asp?strArticleId=56698&strSite=MDSite
Fewer Engineers
Design News, March 15, 2004
www.designnews.com/article/CA387455?stt=000&pubdate=03%2F15%2F04
Is There a Doctor in the House?
Gayle Ehrenman
Mechanical Engineering: News and Notes, March 2004
www.memagazine.org/contents/current/departments/news_notes/news_note.html
Outsourcing
John G. Falcioni
Mechanical Engineering: Editorial, April 2004
www.memagazine.org/contents/current/departments/editorial/editorial.html
Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2002
National Science Foundation
www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf04303/htmstart.htm
Resources:
Design News www.designnews.com
Machine Design www.machinedesign.com
Mechanical Engineering www.memagazine.org
Society of Manufacturing Engineers www.sme.org
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Sometimes they just don't have the staff to give them accurate information. I was on The Hill a month or so ago lobbying for the energy bill (and other things), and some of those Congressional staffers were totally clueless. It was like, where does electricity come from (one thought it came out of the wall), or where does gasoline comes from (the pumps at your corner gas station). The smartest staffer we encountered was an intern for Pete Domenici, and this guy knew things like nuclear reactors, petroleum processing, cogeneration, the whole deal. Of course, he's leaving after the internship is up.
Engineering sucks as a career, but it would make a fun hobby.
| ThomasRegional.com | tm | Industrial Market Trends |
By Greg MacSweeney
As manufacturing CEOs try to determine the best course for their company, many are still focusing on cost cutting and are delaying new product development and hiring. However, if CEOs truly have their companies’ best interests at heart, product innovation should be the primary focus, warns Edward W. “Ned” Hill, professor and distinguished scholar of economic development at Cleveland State University.
“Smaller manufacturers have to compete on value, not on cost,” Hill said as he delivered his comments at a recent National Association of Manufacturers conference in Washington, DC. “Intellectual capital is needed because product innovation is the only way to grow. Overseas competitors will usually beat you on cost.”
In his presentation, “Manufacturing: Making America’s Future,” Hill contends successful manufacturing organizations will be able to fight becoming “commodity manufacturers” by creating and retaining intellectual capital. “The current decade will see business focus on top-line revenue growth through product innovation,” according to Hill.
Manufacturers agree with Hill´s statement. A recent Deloitte & Touche global manufacturing benchmark survey found 89% of manufacturers indicate that launching new products and services will be the primary driver of growth over the next three years, with other factors such as the economic turnaround (85%) and developing new channels (72%) being of lesser importance.
Still, many manufacturers are continuing to focus on cost and are not looking beyond the next quarter. Hill warned that if manufacturers wait too long, it may be too late. Currently, economic pundits point to the lack of hiring in the manufacturing sectors as a sign of weakness in the industry as a whole. However, Hill maintains that job growth in the manufacturing sector will be much slower than in previous economic recoveries. After the recession in 1990-91, job growth in manufacturing quickly picked up. After the most recent recession ended in 2001, manufacturing continued to lose jobs through this year. “Job growth is so slow in manufacturing because there are fewer recalls to manufacturers,” Hill said. “In this recovery, many of the jobs that were lost will never come back” because of advances in technology and automation. “Job growth will come from new job creation,” which takes much longer, Hill added.
This job phenomenon is not unique to the United States, Hill said. “There is a global productivity revolution underway in manufacturing,” according to Hill. From 1995 to 2002, the U.S. lost 11.3% of its manufacturing jobs. During the same period, South Korea lost 11.6%, China lost 15.3% and Brazil lost 19.9% of their respective manufacturing job base, despite the number of jobs that have been sent offshore from U.S.-based manufacturers, he added.
The U.S. is in fact not really experiencing real 'productivity' increase as classically defined (as Peter Drucker has explained) Meanwhile, it is true enough that the Chinese WOULD see a skyrocketing productivity increase just adopting even some of our practices. [This is not to say that they are still even close to our level of productivity even after they use our assembly plant and equipment.]
The laid off Chinese workers, unlike ours, have nothing to worry about, however, as they will see their overall dramatically growing manufacturing economy get them jobs, while the U.S. has shown the negative employment effects of the implosive effects of overall decline in manufactures. The 'Negative Multiplier' which Milton Friedman has recognized.
In other fields of endeavor you are rewarded fiscally for multi tasking ..and it provides security.
This is the *Bread line if you are in a Union.
How mant engineering types ponder if they should have jumped ship to a certain regiment and built there..instead of going with the river..then out the back door.
In my 2 decades plus exp in oilsector fabrication..could operate nearly all the heavy industrial machines in the plant...heavy equipment operation..ie wheeled crane units..allong with the remote control cranes in the shops.
Fab shops require first aid..now one can train to near Paramedic level..and recieve premium hourly and shift.
I could have jumped ship and specialized in numerous places..but that would be boring to be tied to one task year in and out.
Sizing up the way the Insurance/Ocupation health/safety and mainstream ident of a flexable machine operator..it was wise to just stay.
Presently am on long term disability.
I have my Union to thank for that.
So many work now..and the future is uncertain.
In my view..ones health coverage and insurance is paramount..and requires tactfull planning.
As a rescue first aid along with my job duties..spent 1/4 to 1/2 the shift in the first aid room..inspecting eyes..prepping for transfer to hospital.
You can buy the farm easily in a steel fab shop...one mistake..and you are lucky to live.
Awarenss is the key to career longevity.
Size things up...be demanding..
Your life can change in a moment.
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