Engineering and Electrical Engineering - Supply and Demand

Change in employment of engineers is shown to be related to the Deutsch and Shea Index of Engineering Demand. A relationship is given that shows the changes in engineering employment on a quarterly and annual basis. Engineering employment has turned upward for the first time since the last quarter of 1969. We have displaced and stored over 90 000 qualified engineers since 1969, in addition to displacing over 40 000 not qualified by an engineering education. Estimates by some of the need for 48 000 engineers per year is shown to be highly questionable. Current demand is still insufficient to absorb the current output without displacing some currently employed. It is suggested that demand in specialties can be determined by advertising lineage devoted to specialties in the same manner that the engineering demand is determined by the Deutsch and Shea Index. The years 1970, 1971, and 1972 were characterized by a decrease in employment of 62 000 engineers, 150 000 new graduates, 25 000 immigrants, and only 55 000 normal retirements and deaths.