emerging engineering job trends to keep an eye on in 2024.

While other sectors are dealing with the labour shortage, engineering jobs in Canada are expected to see a surplus of potential candidates in the upcoming years. 

Research predicts that from 2018 to 2028, there’ll be an increase of 11,300 mechanical engineering jobs and a talent pool of 13,200 job seekers. 

During the same timeframe, the engineering industry will see a rise of 18,900 civil engineering jobs and an influx of 26,500 job seekers.

These statistics put engineering employers in an ideal position regarding hiring. However, emerging engineering job trends may still make it challenging to hire top talent. 

Evolving trends, such as technological advancements and regulatory framework shifts, will require employers to hire highly skilled candidates with specialized experience.

Before they can capitalize on these developments and hire qualified workers, employers must first understand the latest trends in engineering jobs. 

Here’s a look at the top trends in engineering jobs for 2024.

creation of new engineering disciplines

Evolving technologies will continue to advance the engineering industry for years to come. 

As in the past, this continuous technological growth will likely create new engineering disciplines that overlap with other professions in the engineering industry. 

Engineers must adapt to new technologies in a wide range of industries and integrate them into existing workflows.

In 2024, this shift will be particularly strong for a wide range of industries, including construction jobs. 

As smart cities become more popular, construction companies will need a broader range of engineers who understand urban planning, structural elements, and smart technologies. 

The trend toward green buildings and living materials requires engineers with advanced knowledge of environmental issues.

Canada’s energy sector is also poised to create new engineering disciplines. As the largest companies in the oil sands industry work to reach net zero emissions by 2050, engineers with energy and environmental expertise will be in high demand.

Employers in the engineering industry must keep pace by understanding the skills and qualifications that each new discipline requires. Companies must develop a plan to reevaluate current engineering jobs and evolve them to accommodate emerging roles. 

This step will ensure that businesses continuously seek candidates with the right skill sets for engineering job openings.

evolving regulatory landscape

Employers must keep in mind the growing trend of the evolving regulatory landscape. Federal, provincial, and municipal government agencies are consistently changing engineering-related regulations.

It’s up to each engineering sector to track these changes and ensure compliance with all business practices—or risk hefty fines.

This emerging trend requires highly skilled and experienced engineers with problem-solving skills. 

It’s crucial to seek out candidates who have problem-solving skills with experience interpreting and implementing governmental regulations to protect public and business interests.

sustainable engineering

Canada’s rapidly changing energy sector is also driving trends in engineering jobs. Sustainable engineering has recently become a fundamental part of projects impacting society. 

For example, civil engineering it can involve looking for ways to improve energy efficiency in building projects. It could also involve using materials that have a lower carbon footprint. This approach extends to all types of engineering.

A major shift toward sustainability, efficiency and emerging power sources is creating new disciplines and increasing the demand for engineers with experience in alternative energy.

adoption of advanced technology

New technologies are transforming workflows for engineering jobs in a range of industries. Businesses are integrating drones, wearable devices, and 4D and 5D simulations in construction. 

These systems will require engineers who can adapt existing operations, manage the integration process, and assist with maintenance and updates. Companies also need engineers who can use AI-based platforms and data analytics to increase project efficiency without compromising safety or structural integrity. 

Technology is also transforming the oil and gas sector as businesses turn to automation and advanced manufacturing processes. To succeed, they’ll need engineers to design and manage these systems. 

As the global demand for sustainable energy increases, this sector will require engineers with experience in solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and biofuel energy.

use of robotics

Industrial manufacturing facilities are turning to robotics more frequently as they grapple with a shortage of skilled labour and high demand in the industry. 

This shift is driven by trends like greater digitization and automation, focusing on simplifying user robot operation. 

Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important in manufacturing, and industrial robots are joining the green movement, aligning with this growing trend.

diminishing pool of licensed engineers

There’s been a surprising trend among younger engineering graduates to forgo earning their engineering licenses. 

There could be several reasons for this shift in the engineering industry. First, many students find the licensing process too cumbersome—especially since each province and territory has its own licensing regulations for engineers to work.

Secondly, some students may have career goals that don’t require a certification, giving them little motivation to complete the licensing process.

Many engineering employers need to recognize this transition. Some engineering jobs require a professional license, but others don’t. The problem is that some employers only seek licensed engineers even when the certification isn’t necessary.

As employers expand hiring efforts in the engineering industry, it’s important to reexamine the skills and qualifications for each engineering position. They must determine which skills are required and which ones are optional. 

Companies can expand their talent pools and improve hiring outcomes by lowering credentialing expectations to reflect this new trend among younger workers.

growing demand for diversity in the workplace

For decades, engineering roles were predominantly filled by men. 

Many groups, including women and indigenous people, have been significantly underrepresented in all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sectors. 

Over the last few decades, however, there’s been a push at the university level and in the workplace to bring more diversity to STEM programs. 

Engineers Canada aims to increase the number of newly licensed female engineers to 30% by 2030. As of 2022, just 18% of engineers are women.

The Indigenous & Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) Ph.D. Project is a partnership of almost 15 Canadian universities committed to reducing the systemic barriers that exist for Indigenous and Black scholars pursuing doctoral degrees in STEM programs.

While diversity programs have lost some ground over the past few years, the desire remains. 

According to a 2022 survey, one-third of employees feel their employers aren’t doing enough to support diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The push for diversity is shaping our future and will lead to the next generation of STEM leaders.

To satisfy employees’ demand for a diverse workplace, employers must develop hiring practices that attract engineering candidates from underrepresented groups. 

Employers can expand their potential talent pool by creating an inclusive hiring process. 

As the job market becomes more competitive, a larger pool of engineering candidates can give companies an advantage in finding skilled employees.

engineering continues to evolve

The engineering industry is an ever-evolving field and career. Engineers are problem solvers. As the world shifts and changes, so does engineering work. When you bring other people into the culture—which is so important and necessary—you start to see things that we thought were solutions or even problems that we didn't even realize were problems. 

You can see things from a different perspective. You open the door to new solutions that are relevant to all people. Then, we start to evolve and change how we think and navigate the world. As the world grows, so does engineering.

The engineering industry has an exciting and diverse future ahead. But it must be more inclusive to evolve and reach its full potential. This means the industry needs people from all backgrounds and all walks of life.

Men, women, indigenous people, and people of all races and colours are encouraged to consider making engineering their career.