In 2024, the know-how sector noticed but extra layoffs after large cuts in 2022 and 2023. Although the tempo was considerably slower final yr, greater than 150,000 staff had been laid off throughout a whole lot of firms, based on Layoffs.fyi, a website began throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to trace tech layoffs around the globe. The biggest single minimize got here in August, when Intel minimize 15 percent of its workforce—roughly 15,000 roles—by, for instance, consolidating its gross sales and advertising staff. To begin the brand new yr, in January 2025, tech firms introduced one other 5,000 layoffs. Greater than half of those are from Meta’s 5 p.c workforce minimize.
Regardless of these numbers, nonetheless, engineers appear to be doing simply fantastic. U.S. employment for electrical engineers is predicted to develop 9 p.c from 2023 to 2033, in contrast with 4 p.c for all occupations, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). And amongst IEEE members, the median revenue of U.S. engineers and different tech professionals was US $174,161 in 2023, up 5 p.c from the yr prior, IEEE-USA’s annual survey found in September.
Extra lately, the World Financial Discussion board’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, primarily based on 2024 knowledge, revealed that technology-related roles are the fastest-growing classes globally, with probably the most speedy progress in demand anticipated for big data specialists, financial-technology engineers, AI specialists, and software developers. The report additionally predicted progress in engineering fields, together with environmental and renewable energy, robotics, and electrotechnology engineering.
The upshot: Whereas many tech firms proceed to restructure, extremely expert tech consultants stay in demand.
Tech Expertise In Demand
The Way forward for Jobs Report additionally checked out expertise that employers throughout all industries think about vital. It discovered the largest improve in three classes of know-how expertise: AI and massive knowledge expertise, networks and cybersecurity, and know-how literacy.
The sectors of telecommunication and automotive and aerospace are significantly excited about AI and massive knowledge expertise; one hundred pc of companies surveyed in these fields stated these expertise will develop in significance over the subsequent 5 years.
Given these anticipated modifications, staff might want to obtain coaching to enhance their efficiency in present or new roles. For instance, 96 p.c of employers in telecommunications plan to upskill and reskill their workforces, the report discovered.
On the identical time, nontechnical expertise are additionally anticipated to rise in significance and complement know-how experience. It will likely be important for staff to be able to artistic considering, resilience, flexibility, and lifelong learning.
In truth, many firms presently take a look at nontechnical talents when hiring new engineers, says Julia Lapan, assistant dean for profession growth on the College of Virginia College of Engineering & Utilized Science. Whereas technical know-how is vital for younger engineers, “the underside line is, as soon as college students get out into the working world, they’re going to should repeatedly study,” Lapan says. “All of us should be prepared to adapt.”
An Engineering Recruiter’s View
Though many firms have scaled again on hiring typically, the job market for electrical engineers within the United States stays aggressive, says George Santos, the managing director of the Naperville, Unwell.–primarily based recruiting agency 180 Engineering. “It’s time to be an engineer,” he says.
In Santos’s expertise, recently there was extra demand for embedded and firmware engineers, and for these with controls or automation expertise. With the rise of smart manufacturing comes subtle equipment that entails many sensors and an abundance of data transmission. Electrical engineers will “play a vital half” in constructing and sustaining these automated methods, says Santos, who anticipates progress within the semiconductor and renewable power sectors as nicely.
In response to surveyed employers, tech experience—similar to the primary three rows—tops the checklist of expertise anticipated to extend in significance over the subsequent 5 years.
In response to the BLS, demand for electrical and electronics engineers in semiconductor manufacturing is predicted to develop by 15 p.c from 2023 to 2033—and the semiconductor industry pays its EEs nicely, with a median annual wage of nearly $145,000. The BLS additionally tasks that demand for EEs in photo voltaic and wind electric power technology will develop considerably over the identical time interval, although they continue to be a small portion of general employment.
Discovering a specialization will help new engineers get forward, Santos provides. “It’s going to make you extra invaluable available in the market.” Having a background in one thing like power electronics or embedded firmware will make a candidate stand out. “There’s not a complete lot of these of us round,” he says.
Return to Workplace
Past the industries or specialties, it’s clear the place engineers and tech staff are much less more likely to discover jobs in 2025: at house.
Virtually 5 years after the COVID-19 pandemic made remote work ubiquitous, many tech firms are bringing their staff again to the workplace. Amazon and Dell, for instance, now require staff to work within the workplace 5 days per week. Many others, together with Apple, Google, and Meta have taken a hybrid method and require at the least three days within the workplace every week.
The U.S. authorities has additionally adopted go well with, with the Trump administration’s return-to-office mandate issued on the primary day of Donald Trump’s second time period as president. As of Might 2023, roughly 21,000 electrical and electronics engineers had been employed by the federal authorities.
The push for in-person work, meant to extend productiveness, is unpopular with many staff. In truth, these mandates might trigger prime expertise to depart—a development already being seen at some highly effective tech firms.
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