National Engineering Month is Canada’s largest celebration of engineering excellence. “Engineering” is a broad field encompassing diverse types of specialties, but one thing is certain – engineers are builders – digitally or physically. This year’s theme “There’s a place for you in engineering” celebrates the diversity of thought, opportunities, and people that make up the engineering profession. Innovative technologies are emerging all the time that have the potential to transform the world we live in. Here are some emerging technologies that could shape the future of engineering.

Sustainable and Renewable Energy:

Engineers are critical in advancing sustainability by designing and implementing solutions that minimize environmental impacts and maximize resource efficiency.

With concerns about climate change and energy security growing, engineers are developing new technologies that could help us transition to a more sustainable energy future. These include advancements in solar and wind power, energy storage, and electric vehicles to provide clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels. They are also designing more efficient and affordable energy storage systems, such as batteries and fuel cells, to enable greater use of renewable energy sources.

Existing companies in the Oil & Gas industry are investing heavily in new processes to transform the way they work and are constantly innovating to produce cleaner resource-based fuels.

Deloitte explores five renewable energy industry trends to watch in its 2023 renewable energy industry outlook. Here is a list of high-paying engineering careers in renewables.

Biotechnology:

Biotechnology is a broad field that involves using living organisms or their products to create useful products and processes. Biotechnology advances are enabling engineers to develop new materials, medicines, and even entire organisms. Biotechnology today produces innovative products and methods to combat uncommon and disabling illnesses, decrease our impact on the environment, feed those in need, use cleaner and more efficient energy, and enable safer, cleaner, and more effective industrial manufacturing processes. This could have profound implications for medicine, agriculture, and the environment.

Here are some career pathways in biotechnology.

Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI):

The fundamental nature of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) lies in their ability to provide advanced analytical capabilities and automate decision-making processes, which can significantly improve our capacity to design and manage the built environment while meeting our needs and achieving net zero goals.

AI is already transforming many industries by enhancing processes and will only become more prevalent. Engineers are developing AI systems that can learn, reason, and solve problems like humans, which could lead to unprecedented advancements in robotics, transportation, and manufacturing. AI and automation will impact nearly every major industry, so there will be careers for innovators and creatives.

Extended Reality (XR): Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR):

Extended reality, which encompasses both virtual and augmented reality, has a growing footprint in various fields. AR is an interactive experience that enhances and overlays a user's physical world with computer-generated input. For many of us, XR has yet to become part of our day-to-day existence. However, AR and VR technologies are already being used in gaming and entertainment, but they also have the potential to revolutionize fields like education, healthcare, and architecture. Engineers are developing more immersive and realistic AR and VR experiences, which could transform how we learn, work, and communicate.

Starting a career in XR requires technical skill sets. If you don’t know where to start, consider learning Unity – free tutorials for programmers.

Looking forward

The future of engineering is likely to be defined by these and other emerging technologies as engineers work to solve the challenges of our time and create a better world for future generations. As Canada’s largest engineering recruitment firm, we are proud to work with engineers and employers who are building a better world. It is an exciting time to work in engineering. Canada’s employment capacity for professional engineers (P.Eng.) and the roles that support their work has never been higher. Here are the most in-demand Engineering roles in Canada in 2023.

For more than 46 years, Agilus has served our candidate and employer networks, connecting great job seekers with meaningful employment. We place nearly 10,000 job seekers in roles every year in Engineering, Technology, Professional/Office, and Light Industrial roles. We have over 100 recruiters across Canada who can help you find your next role or help you find that new career path. For more information about Agilus, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or check out our current open roles.