Graduation is one of the most celebrated events. The feeling of having a degree in a specific area and being able to look for jobs with better pay than the internships made during university life are the main reasons for celebrating. It is no different for the newly formed engineer.
However, everything is not the way you imagined it was in college. The student who entered four or five years ago in an engineering course saw a completely different reality from what is happening today. The vacancies are not as many as four years ago and getting a job is not as easy as it was preached at the beginning of the course.
A New Scenario for Engineers in North America.
The new scenario scares the newly formed in the area. Fewer job openings and more candidates make each opportunity more competitive and the engineering market more aggressive. In addition to that, lack of experience is a complicating factor since many of the existing vacancies may require certain experience. Others turn out to be short-term projects and once completed, they make the professional unemployed again, generating high insecurity.
So a common path for these newly trained professionals is to pursue trainee / internship programs - jobs that require less experience - or even look for different areas of expertise. It is common to see engineers working in positions related to management or economics, especially in banks, in their early years.
Challenges to be overcome by newly formed Engineers
Those who get an opportunity still need to deal with other major challenges early in their careers. Bent looks from more experienced engineers can happen, and while not exclusive to engineering, you need to have emotional preparation for such situations. On the other hand, some recent graduates may leave college with a sense of "knowing everything", generating a certain arrogance that may be bad for development. Knowing how to listen and accept hierarchy is fundamental.
The good news is that even in a strong crisis scenario, the situation is expected to improve soon. The pace of engineering goes hand in hand with the country's economy. Finally, it is worth remembering, engineers will always be needed over time, and competent professionals tend to stand out in the area even in times of difficulty.
