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U.S. Engineering in a Global Economy

Since the late 1950s, the engineering job market in the United States has been fraught with fears of a shortage of engineering skill and talent. U.S. Engineering in a Global Economy brings clarity to issues of supply and demand in this important market. Following a general overview of engineering-labor market trends, the volume examines the educational pathways of undergraduate engineers and their entry into the labor market, the impact of engineers working in firms on productivity and innovation, and different dimensions of the changing engineering labor market, from licensing to changes in demand and guest worker programs.

The volume provides insights on engineering education, practice, and careers that can inform educational institutions, funding agencies, and policy makers about the challenges facing the United States in developing its engineering workforce in the global economy.

320 pages | 39 line drawings, 61 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2018

National Bureau of Economic Research Conference Report

Economics and Business: Business--Industry and Labor, Economics--International and Comparative

Education: Higher Education

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
 
Introduction
Richard B. Freeman and Hal Salzman
 
1. The Engineering Labor Market: An Overview of Recent Trends
Daniel Kuehn and Hal Salzman
 
I. Engineering Education
 
2. Career Plans of Undergraduate Engineering Students: Characteristics and Contexts
Shannon K. Gilmartin, Anthony Lising Antonio, Samantha R. Brunhaver, Helen L. Chen, and Sheri D. Sheppard
 
3. Engineering Educational Opportunity: Impacts of 1970s and 1980s Policies to Increase the Share of Black College Graduates with Majors in Engineering or Computer Science
Catherine J. Weinberger
 
4. Bridging the Gaps between Engineering Education and Practice
Samantha R. Brunhaver, Russell F. Korte, Stephen R. Barley, and Sheri D. Sheppard
 
II. Engineering and Innovation
 
5. The Effects of Scientists and Engineers on Productivity and Earnings at the Establishment Where They Work
Erling Barth, James C. Davis, Richard B. Freeman, and Andrew J. Wang
 
6. What Goes On under the Hood? How Engineers Innovate in the Automotive Supply Chain
Susan Helper and Jennifer Kuan
 
III. Engineers and Labor Markets
 
7. The Influence of Licensing Engineers on Their Labor Market
Yoon Sun Hur, Morris M. Kleiner, and Yingchun Wang
 
8. Dynamics of Engineering Labor Markets: Petroleum Engineering Demand and Responsive Supply
Leonard Lynn, Hal Salzman, and Daniel Kuehn
 
9. Bridge to Permanent Immigration or Temporary Labor? The H-1B Visa Program Is a Source of Both
Ron Hira
 
Contributors
Author Index
Subject Index
 

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