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Career Path Forecast
 According to the
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, employment of architectural engineers (and the architects
who work with them) is strongly tied to the activity of the construction industry.
Strong growth is expected to come from nonresidential construction as
demand for commercial space increases. Residential construction, buoyed by
low interest rates, is also expected to grow as more and more people become
homeowners. If interest rates rise significantly, this sector may see a
falloff in home building.
Current demographic trends also support an increase in demand for
architectural engineers. As the population of U.S. sunbelt states continues
to grow, the people living there will need new places to live and work. As
the population continues to live longer and baby-boomers begin to retire
there will be a need for more healthcare facilities, nursing homes, and
retirement communities. In education, buildings at all levels are getting older
and class sizes are getting larger. This will require many school districts
and universities to build new facilities and renovate existing ones.
Some types of construction are sensitive to cyclical changes in the
economy. Architectural engineers seeking design projects for office and
retail construction will face especially strong competition for jobs or
clients during recessions, and layoffs may ensue in less successful firms.
Those involved in the design of institutional buildings, such as schools, hospitals,
nursing homes, and correctional facilities, will be less affected by
fluctuations in the economy. Residential construction makes up a small
portion of work for architectural engineers, so major changes in the
housing market would not be as significant as fluctuations in the
nonresidential market.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
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