The Most In-Demand Engineering Skills of 2020

Engineers have become critical employees during the coronavirus pandemic. As companies scramble to adapt to this new reality, they’re doing whatever they can to attract top tech talent. From data scientists to civil engineers, the battle for the best engineering talent wages.

Engineering is a diverse profession, and there are a lot of exciting directions you can go in. Here’s a breakdown of most in-demand engineering skills for 2020

Data Scientist

The ability to transform big data into actionable insights can have a profound impact. This has led to a growing need for data scientists. In simple terms, a data scientist’s job is to analyze data for actionable insights. First, data scientists lay a solid data foundation to perform robust analytics. Then they take data and transform it into meaningful information that can help us make decisions.

Requirements for becoming a data scientist are many. A solid educational background is usually required to become a data scientist. That’s why data science jobs represent five of the top 15 fastest-growing jobs in America.

Robotics Engineer

Automation is advancing in the 21st century. Robots have moved from science fiction into our everyday life. As a result, there is now a significant demand for talented robotics engineers.

Robotics engineers work in the science of robotics, or flexible automation. A robotics engineer is a behind-the-scenes designer responsible for building robots and ensuring the correct processes are in place for the robot to run correctly. They also find the most cost-efficient process to manufacture their robotic systems. Ultimately, a top-notch robotics engineer should be innovative and open-minded.

Petroleum Engineer

Petroleum engineers design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas. They often have to travel to foreign countries and reside there for a time. Petroleum engineers oversee the installation of field equipment, maintenance, and operations. They’re also responsible for solving operational problems that may arise. Other tasks include interpreting drilling and testing information for personnel and conducting field evaluation through exploration, extraction, and development.

Approximately 9,580 people work in this occupation. Simultaneously, rising energy demands mean that the industry will need petroleum engineers for many more years to come.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is a profession that implements the design and construction of inspiring geotechnical, transportation, and structural projects in just about every corner of our world. Civil engineers need a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or civil engineering technology.

As infrastructure ages, civil engineers will be needed to rebuild, upgrade, and manage bridges, roads, levees, and dams. The civil engineer job market is forecasted to increase by 10.6% between 2016 and 2026. Some of the most commonly advertised job titles within civil engineering include architectural, structural, transportation, traffic, water resources, geotechnical engineering, and even solar panels or other alternative eco-friendly infrastructures. Others are construction engineers, facilities engineers, geotechnical engineers, highway engineers, hydrographic engineers, and railroad design consultants.

Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineers supervise, test, develop, and design electrical equipment. They work with all kinds of electronic devices, from small pocket devices to large supercomputers. These skills can range from basic circuit theory to those required to be a project manager. Accordingly, the electrical engineering profession is integral to modern living and communications.

With a degree in electrical and electronic engineering, you can find work in various sectors, including:

• Radio-Frequency Engineering
• Signal Processing
• Microelectronics
• Control Systems
• Power Engineering
• Telecommunications

The median annual wage for electrical engineers is $98,530. The electrical engineer job market is forecasted to expand by 8.6% between 2016 and 2026. Analysts further projects that job growth in this field will occur in scientific, professional, and technical service firms.

Mining Engineering

Mining engineers are more in demand than ever. Simply put, a mining engineer designs, develops and supervises the construction of a mine. They are also required to come up with cost-effective ways of running the mine. Some collaborate with geologists to find and evaluate new ore deposits. Others provide solutions to problems related to land reclamation, water and air pollution, and sustainability. Such engineers’ employment is forecasted to increase by 8% between 2016 and 2026, per the BLS.

Mining engineering is an international profession, with many jobs based overseas. Salaries range from $65,000 to $100,000, depending on the mine’s size and the remoteness of the mine site. The most common employers for Mining Engineers are mineral extraction companies.

Conclusion Traditional fields, such as civil and petroleum engineering, are still high in demand. However, demand for software developers far exceeds that of other tech-related roles.