Blog Details

After more than three decades in the field, Courtney Currie, P.E., has seen engineering evolve in ways few professions have. With 35 years of experience spanning Jamaica, the wider Caribbean, and the United States, his journey offers both a historical lens and a practical perspective on one pressing question: is engineering still a viable profession today?

A Career Built Through Change

Currie’s early years in engineering coincided with a period of rapid technological transition. He recalls returning to his field office at General Electric in Columbia, Maryland, early in his career and being handed a laptop, an uncommon tool at the time. Up until then, his most trusted companion had been an HP48S calculator, which carried him through his studies at Howard University.

That early laptop was modest by today’s standards, with limited storage and processing power. Yet it introduced a meaningful convenience. Field manuals were now stored on CD-ROM. Instead of flipping through printed volumes, engineers could quickly access information digitally, an early sign of how technology would reshape the profession.

Currie had already begun adapting to this shift during his senior year at Howard University, when the School of Engineering introduced a modern computer lab. These early exposures laid the foundation for a career that would continuously evolve alongside technological advancement.

Engineering Under Pressure

One defining moment in Currie’s career came during his time at General Electric, where he was among the first engineers trained on the EPIC system, an add-on for switchgear that allowed protective devices to communicate in real time with centralized control systems like SCADA.

While commissioning an EPIC system at an oil refinery in New Jersey, a breaker unexpectedly tripped, cutting power to an active section of the plant. Within minutes, engineers flooded the electrical room. Amid the urgency, Currie remained composed. Drawing on both his technical expertise and practical experience, he restored power within five minutes.

Moments like these highlight a critical truth about engineering. Beyond theory, it demands calm decision-making, adaptability, and confidence under pressure.

Learning Beyond Your Discipline

Engineering, as Currie emphasizes, is fundamentally about problem-solving. One example stands out. A client once requested specifications for a reverse osmosis water treatment plant, well outside Currie’s specialization as an electrical engineer.

Despite initially pointing out the gap in expertise, he was met with a simple challenge. “But you’re an engineer, aren’t you?”

Over the next two days, long before the convenience of modern search engines, Currie immersed himself in the subject. By the end, he had developed a working understanding of reverse osmosis, enabling him to design the system, perform the calculations, and deliver a complete specification.

This experience underscores a defining trait of successful engineers. They learn quickly, apply fundamentals, and solve problems beyond narrowly defined roles.

A Shift in the Profession

However, the profession has not remained unchanged. Currie has observed a gradual shift in how engineering is perceived and practiced.

In earlier decades, experience was one of the most valuable assets an engineer could possess. Career advancement was closely tied to years of hands-on work and accumulated knowledge. Currie notes that while he was always competent, it was not until around age 50, with over 24 years of experience, that he felt truly confident in his decision-making approach.

Today, that emphasis on experience appears to be diminishing. Many engineering graduates are pursuing advanced degrees in business or finance, seeking career mobility outside traditional engineering roles. As a result, innovation and technical depth often take a back seat to business strategy and financial performance.

At the same time, the profession has become increasingly shaped by new labels and buzzwords. Titles like robotics engineer have emerged, often repackaging traditional disciplines such as electrical and mechanical engineering into more marketable terms. While not inherently problematic, this shift can blur understanding and undervalue foundational engineering principles.

The Impact of Economic Shifts

Broader economic changes have also played a role. During the height of its manufacturing dominance, the United States relied heavily on engineering talent, with specialization driving productivity and output.

However, the transition from manufacturing to a service-based economy, particularly in financial services, altered this landscape. Engineers who once thrived in industrial environments often found fewer opportunities to apply their expertise in the evolving economy.

Currie believes this shift significantly contributed to the profession losing some of its appeal, especially in the United States. Despite a population of over 350 million, there were fewer than one million licensed engineers in the country as of 2022, a statistic that reflects both the profession’s exclusivity and its reduced prominence.

So, Is Engineering Still Viable?

Despite these challenges, Currie’s conclusion is clear. Engineering remains not only viable but essential.

There is an undeniable paradox at play. While the profession may seem to have lost some of its traditional prestige, the demand for engineers, both globally and domestically, continues to grow. Infrastructure development, technological innovation, energy systems, and emerging industries all rely on engineering expertise.

Yet seasoned professionals often find themselves navigating a landscape shaped by HR trends, keyword-driven job descriptions, and shifting expectations that do not always align with real-world practice.

Still, the core of engineering endures. It is a discipline rooted in problem-solving, innovation, and the practical application of knowledge to improve lives and systems.

Final Thoughts

Engineering may look different today than it did 35 years ago, but its foundation remains unchanged. As Courtney Currie’s career demonstrates, success in this field requires more than technical knowledge. It demands adaptability, continuous learning, and the confidence that only experience can bring.

In a world driven by constant change, one thing remains certain. Engineering is not fading, it is evolving. And for those willing to grow with it, it continues to be a deeply viable and rewarding profession.