Top 5 Career Articles of 2025

Engineering demands constant learning. From technical skills and training to accreditation and certification, education is a life-long professional pursuit for most engineers. But soft skills and other career-focused subjects often don’t receive the same attention, even though they can be just as important throughout an engineer’s professional life.

In the pages of Mechanical Engineering and on ASME.org, we bring weekly career-focused content to helps engineers stay ahead. These articles are often among our most-read pieces. Here are the top five career-focused articles of 2025.
 

When it Comes to Engineers, Demand Exceeds Supply 

Published April 16, 2025 | By Cathy Cecere 
 
There are currently 4.83 million people working in the U.S. engineering sector. And mechanical engineers comprise one of the largest segments at 208,907, or about 4.33 percent of that total. Year over year, this sector is growing at only 3.48 percent. But with an average employee age of 43, just over the horizon is a cohort of engineers getting ready to retire. The story is the same in manufacturing, with a little over 240,000 manufacturing engineers currently employed in the U.S. And of that population, the average age is 42 years old. 
 

Mechanical Engineering Career Trends for Manufacturing 

Published Feb. 12, 2025 | By Cathy Cecere 
 
Whether you’re a newly graduated mechanical engineer or a seasoned professional, keeping up with industry trends is essential. One foundational trend that MEs can continue to rely on is healthy job growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), while the average rate of growth across all occupations is 4 percent, for MEs the projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033 is 11 percent and “much faster than average.” 
 

Mechanical Engineers Thrive in the Green Economy 

Published June 4, 2025 | By Jerry Guerra 
 
Society’s ongoing transition to a green economy presents a transformative opportunity for mechanical engineers, reshaping the profession and opening new avenues for innovation, jobs, and professional growth. As industries worldwide prioritize sustainability, mechanical engineers are at the forefront of developing and implementing technologies that reduce environmental impact, safeguard natural resources, and promote energy efficiency. 
 

What Engineers Learn Doesn’t Always Match What Employers Need 

Published Jan. 8, 2025 | By Cathy Cecere 
 
University faculty plan the courses offered to students using accreditor standards and their own perceptions of what expertise, abilities, and capabilities new graduates will need to be successful in their engineering careers. But what employers require of newly minted mechanical engineers isn’t always considered. Skills and abilities are more important to engineering employers, but the skills graduates need to be hirable for and successful in nonacademic careers may not be fully accurate. 
 

6 High-Value Minor Degrees for Mechanical Engineers in 2025 

Published Oct. 1, 2025 | By Jerry Guerra 
 
With the rise of widely available artificial intelligence tools, electrification, and the increasing demand for systems integration, today’s engineering students must seek a new answer to an old question: Which minor will help make me future-ready? Minor degrees may not directly impact starting salaries, but they do help graduates stand out in a competitive job market. A well-chosen minor reflects initiative, expands one’s technical toolkit, and shows awareness of engineering’s future.