For over 65 years, one week in February has been designated as National Engineers Week, which celebrates the accomplishments of engineers and continues to inspire future generations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 180,000 jobs will be created in engineering between 2012-2022, making this recognition not only important but vital to ensuring that more people are pursuing careers in engineering.
And there’s good reason to go into engineering. Aside from the many expected job opportunities, the average salary for an engineer is over $76K and continues to top the list of most lucrative careers according to Glassdoor . Engineers are responsible for some of the greatest inventions and advances in industry and have truly made their mark on our world, which is why we need our best and brightest in the game.
Unfortunately, a concerning fact remains: Women and minorities are still largely underrepresented in the engineering workforce, with only 13% being women and only 12% being African American and Latinos. There is an urgent need for engineers in the United States, and a need to encourage a diverse pool of future candidates to pursue careers in engineering. We need to start connecting the dots for our young people while they are still in high school so they can see themselves filling this need.
National Engineers Week is always an important opportunity for accomplished engineers to act as role models for future generations. In celebration, NAF students participated in field trips to prestigious locations such as NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Other high schools invited local engineers to come into the classroom and speak about their experiences. These activities brought the profession to life for students and helped them connect with adults who are part of the networks that will help build their future success.
We are grateful to corporate partners such as Verizon, Xerox, SAP, and World Wide Technology, who have answered the call and invested in our students – the future of our nation’s workforce. These companies have been dedicated to improving work-based learning experiences and outcomes for students, and as a result, NAF continues to improve college and career prospects for students.
However, one week a year isn’t enough to keep the momentum going. With continuous exposure to the industry from experienced professionals, interest in working in the industry will rise. In turn, the field will experience an influx of highly prepared, skilled, and diverse job applicants.
Let’s propel the excitement and good will from National Engineers Week into the coming months and years, as we work together to make this industry the very best it can be and ensure that the next generation will be STEM ready.
Glassdoor
https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,8.htm