Technology has become a seamless part of our everyday lives, from the time we wake up until we go to bed. Both at work and at home, we use technology to some extent in completing the majority of personal and professional tasks – from downloading music and playing games to communicating with clients and personal banking.

In this fast-paced world, relevance is fleeting, and new product launches make existing technologies obsolete seemingly overnight. The constant evolution of the industry means new job opportunities will continue to rise for professionals with relevant skills. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of computer software engineers is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations, particularly for those with bachelor’s degrees.

Graduates with bachelor’s degrees in engineering technology will be positioned for career success, as these programs provide the educational framework for designing and implementing the software and hardware that make technological advancements possible. Many universities now offer degree programs tailored to this career path, giving students hands-on experience in fields poised to expand over the next decade.

“DeVry University partners with Fortune 100 leaders in business and technology to design programs that provide real-world knowledge,” explained John Giancola, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Sciences, DeVry University. “Our Computer Engineering Technology and Electronics Engineering Technology degree programs are designed to address the skills students need to succeed developing software or electronics for a variety of consumer product markets, including ‘green’ products that require renewable energy.”

While many fields have declining projections for growth, engineering technology continues to thrive. “Money” magazine recently listed software developer, software development engineer and database administrator among its top 20 jobs in fast growth fields, each of which is an attainable profession with a degree in electronics engineering technology or computer engineering technology.

From healthcare and government to telecommunications, the technologies that support growing industries are rapidly becoming more advanced and complex, creating new demand for professionals trained to manage updated systems and resolve new, unique problems.

Similarly, companies in all industries are becoming increasingly global and require engineering technology specialists to ensure that the systems they use to conduct business are compatible at international locations.

 

Artificial Intelligence is becoming commonplace across major industries and retail is no exception.The retail industry is looking for ways to keep up with the times and many companies have started implementing AI technology across the entire product and service cycle – from assembly to post-sale customer service interactions.Major retailers such as Walmart, Sephora, Walgreens, North Face, Uniqlo, West Elm, and Macy’s are using AI to enhance customers’ experiences at their stores while also improving security. AI Applications in Retail While hardware giant Lowe’s uses small robots to give directions and help customers navigate a large hardware store, Walgreens is using technology to track the spread of flu, based on the locations of customers picking up prescriptions so they can alert customers to the flu activity in their area and stock more flu-related products.Another example is makeup company Sephora, which now uses AI technology in many of its stores to scan customers’ faces and help them choose the perfect shade of blush, lipstick, or eyeliner without having to test multiple products.Meanwhile, a Walmart store in New York is becoming the "store of the future" by incorporating the latest AI technology. The store’s smart cameras will have the capability to alert workers when items are out of stock and even let them know when a bunch of bananas has gone bad. Providing a Customizable Retail Experience Artificial intelligence is being used for everything from preparing packages in warehouses to enhancing security to creating a customized experience for consumers.One company that is delivering solutions to retail and security is VSBLTY Groupe Technologies Corp. (CSE:VSBY) (OTC:VSBGF). VSBLTY is at the forefront of making AI work in the retail space, developing innovative facial recognition software and interactive digital screens that will provide retailers with a multitude of AI features.VSBLTY’s VisionCaptor content management system brings interactive messages to any digital screen and provides insights on customer demographics and emotional states, allowing engagement with consumers in real time.By commanding guests’ attention with dynamic digital displays, custom content can be provided based on what the display camera "sees," while gaining valuable insights in real time. Through engaging digital assets such as animations, photos, videos, and multimedia content, VSBLTY software creates a complete customer experience through digital displays, which can be utilized in transit hubs, entertainment and sports venues, grocery stores, drug stores and, really, any retail environments.What’s more, VSBLTY’s VisionCaptor can be integrated with other technologies, including RSS feeds, QR codes, and Bluetooth."Using Edge- and/or Cloud-enabled digital display solutions, retailers can now enhance guest experience with proximity-aware, interactive brand messaging triggered by demographic, identity or even sentiment, while simultaneously gaining groundbreaking levels of measurement and actionable insights," according to the company’s website. Offering Enhanced Security Features VSBLTY has also developed AI solutions that enhance security.VSBLTY Vector is focused on security solutions that combine video screens with facial recognition software and criminal databases in order to identify "persons of interest" or individuals carrying weapons. Cameras are embedded in screens and can identify individuals alone or in crowds more effectively than overhead cameras, and can allow for demographic and emotional recognition as well as facial and object recognition.By teaching computers how to skillfully interpret their surroundings, VSBLTY software can contextualize all of the information about those surroundings and deliver it to the end-user vetted and streamlined for the particular security application.VSBLTY is publicly traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange, OTC, and Frankfurt, with the symbols CSE:VSBY, OTC:VSBGF, and Frankfurt: 5VS. 

Recent surveys on the U.S. labor market point to favorable employment opportunities for engineers and scientists, even in today’s struggling economy.

According to statistics compiled at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the nation’s engineering workforce of more than 1.7 million professionals is expected to increase by 11 percent through 2016. In addition, studies of the science and engineering labor force conducted by the National Science Foundation note that the strong growth in technology jobs over the past two decades will continue, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the total labor market.

Engineers and scientists are earning good starting salaries as well. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 12 of the 15 highest-earning college degrees are in engineering. Starting salaries in petroleum engineering average $83,121, while mechanical, aeronautical, and industrial engineers can expect offers in the mid to high-50,000’s.

The positive employment trends and boost in salaries are encouraging indeed for ASME and other organizations that advocate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. ASME also encourages ongoing continuing education and skills enhancement, which foster sustained career development and enrichment.

Early-career engineers as well as more seasoned engineers have many resources for continuing education and professional development, including ASME, which offers short courses in a variety of disciplines like power engineering and bioprocess technology. In addition, the Professional Practice Curriculum at ASME allows engineers, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, to access learning modules on topics ranging from intellectual property and negotiation to team building and risk assessment.

Engineers may also choose to augment technical skills with skills and aptitude in marketing, strategic planning, accounting, financial systems and project management. With innovation becoming increasingly important, companies require managers who can speak the language of both technology and business to effectively manage and negotiate projects in the global marketplace.

For an engineer in a workplace that is demanding ever-changing skill sets, education goes beyond a college degree. Learning must be a lifelong endeavor.

 

Although the change is gradual, the U.S. is gaining ground on a more sustainable future. Energy experts and environmentalists can argue it’s not occurring fast enough, but from transportation to engineering, improvements are being made.
The Prius is Toyota’s third most popular car. Each year brings a new round of hybrid vehicles, making over 30 different hybrid cars at the start of 2012.
Eco-friendly building options are becoming more affordable, and alternative fuels are being put to use. For instance, Green Mountain College in Vermont operates off a biomass plant that heats the entire campus using green woodchips, a local, renewable and sustainable fuel source.
More city engineers are adding bike lanes and wider streets as commuter biking grows in popularity. In fact, each year the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) holds a Human Powered Vehicle Challenge where top engineering students design sleek pedal-powered vehicles capable of road use.
By creating new prototypes for a road-friendly, human-powered vehicle, these engineering students are working toward a sustainable world. Eventually, many engineers think further developments in human-powered vehicles could lead to a transportation alternative that will reduce the consumption of traditional fuels.
According to a comparison calculation by Business Insider using data from Copenhagen’s huge cycling community, we would add $46 million to the economy if the same number of Americans biked to work.
The coming generations of engineers have a large burden on their shoulders to compete in the global market and thrive in a technology-driven workforce. Plus, demand for high-tech, high-wage engineering jobs is only growing.
A study by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce noted that 8 million American jobs will require a degree in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by 2018. For aerospace, agricultural, mechanical, civil and electrical engineers, environmental protection and preservation are central to the job.
With each year’s human powered vehicle competition, ASME is grooming the next generation of engineers to be innovative, socially conscious and forward-thinking.

 

The face of mechanical engineering is changing — dramatically. Engineers aged 55 to 60 are retiring, taking vital knowledge with them. The young engineers who will replace them are focused on specialization, branching off into sub-disciplines and job-hopping.

These and other insights were revealed by ASME, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a 130,000-member-strong worldwide professional society.

“In the next 5 to 10 years, the challenge will be: how do you transition knowledge at companies like Boeing? People are coming out of school with a different perspective, and the information is changing so quickly,” said Karen Ohland, Senior Vice President, Knowledge and Community Sector, ASME.

Additionally, there’s a rising trend among companies to try out “20-somethings” in work-study positions. Companies test these younger engineers part-time to see how well they perform — re-establishing de facto apprenticeship programs as an important avenue into the profession.

MEs also note that younger engineers job-hop more than their predecessors did. It is no longer the norm to work for a single employer for one’s whole career. While major companies like GE will continue to retain engineers with extraordinary skill-building opportunities, career mobility is becoming the norm.

Today’s senior engineers are concerned about the hands-on aptitude of new engineers. In the words of ME John Blanton, Principal Engineer, Heat Transfer at GE Power and Water, “Engineers are people who enjoyed ripping apart their lawn mower and putting it back together! Young engineers today need to know about the manufacturing process and how parts work in a machine.”

Furthermore, seasoned engineers believe their younger colleagues are so focused on getting ahead at work that they don’t understand how membership in a professional society like ASME can help them. Blanton joined ASME as a student member, realizing it was filled with people who had done what he wanted to do. “Getting involved in the local ASME section allowed me to meet local academics and people working in the business,” he said.

Jen Jewers, a 31-year-old refrigeration engineer at Henderson Engineers, Inc. in Texas, had another perspective on what’s happening in the field. “It’s encouraging that there’s a lot of focus on trying to recruit women and minorities into the field, but we’re not there yet. Colleges are doing a lot, however.”

Worldwide, there are four million job openings for engineers, according to Monster.com, which also predicts an 11 percent growth in the field through 2018.