Saskatchewan JobFutures

Nature of Work

Engineers in this occupational group plan, design, research and manage projects in a variety of areas. They are employed by engineering consulting companies, educational institutions, communications companies, and they may work in manufacturing, processing, transportation and other industries. Engineers may also be self-employed or work for municipal and other levels of government.

Nature of Work

Engineers in this occupational group plan, design, research and manage projects in a variety of areas. They are employed by engineering consulting companies, educational institutions, communications companies, and they may work in manufacturing, processing, transportation and other industries. Engineers may also be self-employed or work for municipal and other levels of government.

Duties

Civil engineers plan, design, develop and manage projects for the construction or repair of various structures, such as buildings, roads, airports, railways, rapid transit facilities, bridges, dams, ports and coastal installations and systems related to highway and transportation services, water distribution and sanitation. Civil engineers may also specialize in foundation analysis, building and structural inspection, surveying and municipal planning. Civil engineers are employed by engineering consulting companies, municipal and other levels of government and other industries, or they may be self-employed.

Mechanical engineers research, design and develop machinery and systems for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning, power generation, transportation, processing and manufacturing. They also perform duties related to the evaluation, installation, operation and maintenance of mechanical systems. Mechanical engineers are employed by consulting firms, power generating utilities, and in a wide range of manufacturing, processing and transportation industries, or they may be self-employed.

Electrical and electronics engineers design, plan, research, evaluate and test electrical and electronic equipment and systems. They are employed by electrical utilities, communications companies, manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment, consulting firms, and by a wide range of manufacturing, processing and transportation industries and government.

Chemical engineers research, design, and develop chemical processes and equipment, oversee the operation and maintenance of industrial chemical, plastics, pharmaceutical, resource, pulp, and food processing plants and perform duties related to chemical quality control, environmental protection and biochemical or biotechnical engineering. They are employed in a wide range of manufacturing and processing industries, consulting firms, government, research and educational institutions.

Chemical engineers may specialize in the products and processes of a particular industry, such as pulp and paper manufacturing, petroleum refining, energy processing, plastics, metal extraction and refining or adhesives and coatings production. They may also specialize in other industries, such as process control, pollution control or fermentation processes. Consequently, the specific duties of chemical engineers may vary considerably from one occupation to another.

Nevertheless, there are several basic duties that most chemical engineers are responsible for performing. These include conducting economic and technical feasibility studies in areas related to chemical, petroleum, pulp and paper, food or other processing; conducting research into the development or improvement of chemical engineering processes, reactions and materials; evaluating chemical process technology and equipment; and determining production specifications. Chemical engineers may also be responsible for designing and testing chemical processing and associated plants and equipment and for overseeing the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing or processing plants.

Chemical engineering duties may include establishing and conducting quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products. They may also be responsible for preparing contract documents and evaluating tenders for the process aspects of industrial construction.

Some chemical engineers may work in an administrative capacity. They may, for example, be charged with coordinating the movement or handling of dangerous chemicals or for setting guidelines for environmental protection, or standards for foods, materials and consumer goods.

Example Titles

Civil engineers:

• environmental engineer
• municipal engineer
• project engineer, construction
• public works engineer
• sanitation engineer
• water management engineer
• civil engineer
• highway engineer
• traffic engineer
• bridge engineer
• construction engineer
• hydraulic engineer
• surveying engineer
• transportation engineer
• structural engineerle resources.

Mechanical engineers:

• acoustics engineer
• design engineer, mechanical
• energy conservation engineer
• engineer, power generation
• fluid mechanics engineer
• heating engineer
• HVAC engineer
• mechanical maintenance engineer
• piping engineer
• thermal design engineer
• nuclear engineer
• tool engineer
• mechanical engineer
• automotive engineer
• refrigeration engineer

Electrical and electronics engineers:

• communications engineer
• control systems engineer
• design engineer, electrical
• microwave systems engineer
• planning engineer, electrical systems
• process control engineer, electrical
• radio systems engineer
• roadway lighting design engineer
• test engineer, electronics
• transmission planning engineer
• avionics engineer
• electronics engineer
• network engineer, electrical
• television systems engineer
• electrical engineer
• telecommunications engineer
• instrumentation and control engineer
• distribution planning engineer, electrical

Chemical engineers:

• biochemical engineer
• project engineer, chemical
• adhesives engineer
• chemical process engineer
• industrial hygiene engineer
• industrial waste treatment engineer
• liquid fuels engineer
• petrochemical engineer
• polymer engineer
• process engineer
• waste treatment engineer
• engineer, chemical
• process control engineer, chemical
• refinery engineer
• biotechnical engineer
• chemical engineer, environmental

Training Paths

Engineering degree programs are offered at U of S and U of R; however, the U of S alone has a Department of Civil Engineering. Degrees earned through the department can be either at the undergraduate or at the graduate level. For those wishing to concentrate on Environmental Engineering, the U of R offers a program in Regional Environmental Systems or Industrial Systems Engineering leading to a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. U of R students in these degree programs may also participate in the Co-operative Education Work/Study Program. Students in the College of Engineering at U of S may choose to participate in the Engineering Professional Internship Program. SIAST offers related training through the Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering diploma programs.

Trends and Outlooks

The employment prospects for this occupation are: good

Employment increased in Saskatchewan for this occupational group, and this remains a large group of occupations with an aging work force. In 2006, there were 2,060 civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineers working in Saskatchewan. Forty-three percent of these were 45 years of age or older that year. These factors assure a number of job openings in the next few years due to retirement, leave or other turnover in the provincial work force. Most of the new and replacement jobs that open in the short term will be in the public administration , utilities, manufacturing, professional, scientific and technical services industries.

Engineers are very well paid in Saskatchewan. In 2005, the average full-time income for engineers in this group was $74,987 per year, a significant increase from the 2000 average and well above the provincial full-time average for all occupations ($42,298 per year). Electrical and electronics engineers, on average the highest paid engineers in this occupational group, earned nearly $80,000 on average in 2005.

The majority of engineers in the province work full time. In 2005, 78% of all engineers in these fields were employed on a full-time basis. The vast majority of professional engineers in the province are men. Only 10% of the work force was female in 2006. While up from 2000, this remains well below the national average.

Employment in Saskatchewan for most fields of engineering science is concentrated in Regina and Saskatoon; 75% of engineers worked in or around these two cities in 2006. Self-employment is rare, and work is neither seasonal nor very sensitive to overall economic conditions.

Technology often changes rapidly, and it is essential that engineers stay abreast of developments within their respective area of expertise. Engineers who continually upgrade their skills may have an advantage over others seeking employment in these fields of work.

Professional Associations

Related Occupations

Civil engineers:

• Engineering Managers (0211)
• Geological Engineers (2144)
• Chemical environmental engineers (in 2134 Chemical Engineers)

Mechanical engineers:

• Marine engineering officers (in 2274 Engineer Officers, Water Transport)
• Power engineers or stationary engineers (in 7351 Stationary Engineers and Auxiliary Equipment Operators)

Electrical and electronics engineers:

• Computer Engineers (2147)
• Computer Systems Analysts (2162)
• Aerospace systems engineers (in 2146 Aerospace Engineers)

Chemical engineers:

• Chemists (2112)
• Metallurgical and Materials Engineers (2142)
• Petroleum Engineers (2145)
• Civil environmental engineers (in 2131 Civil Engineers)
• Food processing engineers (in 2148 Other Professional Engineers, n.e.c.)
• Biomedical engineers (in 2148 Other Professional Engineers, n.e.c.)
• Process control engineers with electrical or electronic specialization (in 2133 Electrical and Electronics Engineers)