Tips on Finding Engineering Jobs in Connecticut
Posted on July 8, 2008
Connecticut engineering jobs offer both good salaries and job security, despite the fact that the state is not one of largest tech centers in the country. Since employers are having a difficult time finding properly trained professionals to fill these vacancies, competition for existing talent is high. Because of this, experienced engineers are able to be more selective when searching for a new job.
High-tech and engineering positions maybe challenging to hire for now, but by 2016 employers will really be struggling. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics more than 850,000 such jobs will be created during the 10-year time period that will end in 2016. This means that one out of every 19 jobs created in the next decade will be some sort of high-tech position. This rise of 24 percent will likely cause a staffing problem due to the fact that the percentage of the population being trained for these jobs is not enough to meet the demand.
A survey by the Computing Research Assn. found that there has been a 20 percent decrease in the number of college students completing degree programs in related fields. The same survey found that the number of new enrollees in these majors is at the lowest it has been in the last ten years, which is as far back as available data goes.
In addition to trying to find enough workers for newly created jobs while the talent pool is shrinking, employers will also have to replace staff members who have chosen to retire. Nationally this could mean as many as 1.6 million vacancies that hiring managers will be struggling to fill.
Many talented and experienced individuals in this sector are attracted to tech-hub cities like Washington DC., the Silicon Valley and Seattle. Because of the amount of talent going elsewhere, states like Connecticut could end up having a more difficult time when it comes to hiring engineers. Although this may not be the best circumstance for employers, job seekers will benefit.
With businesses recruiting best talent, experienced workers will be able to take their pick of positions offered. In hopes of inciting new hires, employers will likely increase the salaries associated with engineering and high-tech jobs. Nationally the average pay for these careers is already $80,000. This means that tech wages are currently 87 percent higher than those typically offered for private sector work. One survey found that tech salaries are growing by an average of 4 percent a year.
