The demand for people to work in engineering jobs is set to grow in 2012. Even though engineers took a slight hit from 2007 to 2009 overall, specialty sectors — such as Aerospace, Biomedical, Computer Hardware, Industrial, Materials Manufacturing, and Mechanical Engineering — have been steadily bouncing back since 2010. Campus recruiting has started to pick up in fall 2011 too.

The National Center for Education Statistics says that there were 11.2 percent fewer engineering Bachelor’s Degree grads in 2009, compared to 1984. Yet, during this 25-year time span, there was also an 80 percent increase in the number of Master’s Degrees awarded. Yet, overall, the number of people actively seeking engineering jobs still does not match the number of engineering jobs available.

The auto industry is looking for people with mechanical and electronic engineering backgrounds to fill engineering jobs in animatronics, LED lighting and lithium-ion batteries. The civil engineering field needs project managers, construction managers, civil engineers and people with training in “green” building practices to keep up with Recovery Act projects that are still in the pipelines. There will also be openings for conceptual, communicative mechanical engineers in forensics and auto reconstruction.

A common problem is that companies looking to fill engineering jobs often have unrealistic wish lists of qualifications. Hiring managers are most commonly seeking midlevel people with experience, but they can’t find them. Industry analysts say that jobseekers are in high demand so long as they knock on the right doors. Newcomers to the field typically get in through a temp agency until they earn more experience to receive permanent status. Jobseekers who don’t mind relocating will find ample engineering jobs in Detroit, Michigan; Fargo, North Dakota; and all across Texas.