At Work
These engineers are employed throughout the public and private sectors.
Industrial and manufacturing engineers increase the efficiency of industrial production and of human resources and equipment.
Metallurgical and materials engineers design and develop processes and equipment to concentrate, extract, refine and process metals and other materials.
Mining engineers plan and design the development of mines, mining facilities, equipment and systems, and mining operations.
Geological engineers analyze geological and geotechnical conditions for civil engineering, mining and other projects.
Petroleum engineers research, develop and supervise projects associated with the drilling, completion, testing and reworking of oil and gas wells.
Aerospace engineers research, design and develop aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, aerospace systems and their components.
Computer engineers design, develop and test computer hardware and software.
Agricultural engineers design agricultural machinery and systems.
Engineering physicists and engineering scientists conduct research and develop new processes and equipment to expand basic knowledge in engineering.
Biomedical engineers design and develop medical instruments and equipment.
Marine and naval engineers design and develop ships and floating structures.
Food processing engineers design and develop processes and equipment for handling food.
Textile engineers design and develop processes and equipment for the production of fibres, yarns and textiles.

Education, Training and Experience
These engineers must have a bachelor's degree in their field of engineering.

They must register as a professional engineer (P.Eng./ing.) with a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers.

About these Occupations
37,000 persons were employed in these occupations in 1996, an increase of 21.6% from 1986. Over the same period, employment in all occupations grew by 13.1%.

29% of these engineers are industrial and manufacturing engineers; 26% are computer engineers.
5% of these engineers work part-time, well below the average of 19% for all occupations.
13% of these engineers are self-employed, compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
19% of these engineers are women, well below the average of 45% in all occupations.
The unemployment rate in these occupations averaged 3.9% from 1994 to 1996, well below the average of 6.7% for all occupations.
Average earnings of year-round, full-time workers in these occupations in 1995 were $46,900, well above the average of $35,700 for all occupations.
The separation rate in these occupations is low, indicating that these workers tend not to lose or leave their jobs.
Employment in these occupations is not very sensitive to overall economic conditions and not seasonal.

Full-Time Earnings

1995 Full-Time Earnings*
$67,700 Highest
$46,900 Average
$28,200 Lowest

* Full-time earnings of the highest 10%, the average and the lowest 10% of workers. $35,700 is the average for all occupations. [page]

Looking to the Year 2001
Current labour market conditions for new entrants in these occupations are fair. Labour market conditions for new entrants will become good by 2001.

The rapid pace of technological change in engineering means that these professionals must be committed to continual upgrading of their skills.
Labour market conditions are likely to vary significantly among the various occupations in this group. Conditions in computer engineering are likely to remain very favourable.
Most of the increase in labour requirements through 2001 for these occupations will occur in the professional and business services sectors.