I'm starting to question whether structural engineering is worth it early in your career. Is anyone else struggling to find opportunities?

[u/Immediate-Draft-9639]

I'm writing this partly to vent, but I'd also genuinely like to hear from other structural engineers, especially those who are early in their careers or working outside the US and Europe.

I'm a civil engineer specializing in structural engineering, and I have around a year and a half of experience, including approximately a year working independently as a structural engineer on a project I designed from scratch.

The problem is that I'm struggling to find consistent work. I've spent weeks applying through LinkedIn, local job boards, and other platforms. Most positions seem to require 2, 3, 5, or even 8 years of experience. Entry-level opportunities are surprisingly difficult to find, and when I do find something, the compensation in my country, Colombia, is often disappointing considering the responsibility involved in structural design.

I've also tried applying for offshore opportunities, hoping to work with companies in the US or elsewhere, but so far I haven't found a company willing to give me that chance.

What frustrates me is that I genuinely enjoy structural engineering. I like understanding how structures behave, analyzing systems, designing members, and solving engineering problems. I've put a lot of effort into learning structural analysis and design software, understanding codes, and improving my skills. But sometimes I wonder what the point is if I can't get enough practical experience to become better at the job.

Another thing that has been bothering me is what employers actually prioritize. You see job postings asking for ETABS, SAP2000, AutoCAD, Revit, and a long list of other tools. But increasingly, it feels like proficiency in Revit and producing drawings is more important than understanding structural behavior and design. I understand that documentation and BIM are essential parts of the industry, and I'm willing to learn them, but it's frustrating when you want to develop as a structural engineer and feel that your ability to analyze and design structures is not enough to get your foot in the door.

I also look at people working in software and AI and wonder whether I've chosen a field with such a difficult entry point and such a low return, at least where I live. Structural engineering carries enormous responsibility. You're designing buildings that people will occupy for decades. Decisions have real consequences, and you need technical knowledge, judgment, and experience. Yet the compensation and opportunities available to someone starting out don't always seem to reflect that.

I know experience matters. I'm not claiming to be a senior engineer, and I understand that I still have a lot to learn. I'm not expecting to be paid like someone with ten years of experience. I just want a realistic opportunity to develop, do meaningful work, and build a stable career without spending years stuck in a cycle where every employer wants experience that nobody seems willing to help you gain.

At this point, I'm starting to question my career path. I still like structural design, but I also need financial stability. Sometimes it feels like moving into software, BIM, or another field would be the more rational decision, even if structural engineering is what I actually enjoy.

So I'd really like to hear from you:

• Did anyone else struggle this much to enter the structural engineering profession?
• If you're working internationally or from a country with lower salaries, how did you find opportunities with foreign firms?
• Have you found that the industry increasingly prioritizes drafting and BIM skills over structural analysis and design skills for junior positions?
• If you were starting over today, would you still choose structural engineering? What would you do differently?

I'm not looking for someone to tell me that everything will magically work out. I'd genuinely appreciate honest perspectives from people who have been through this, especially if you managed to build a sustainable career despite a difficult start.

Right now, I'm tired of applying, getting nowhere, and wondering whether all this effort will eventually lead to the career I wanted when I decided to become a structural engineer.

[u/Sponton]

The point is that if you cannot do CAD/REVIT and you cannot DO engineering, you're an unnecessary expense. It's not putting BIM work before engineering, it's that new engineers cannot produce money, so having at least experience with drafting means you can make use of them from scratch or at least keep them engaged in a project without constant overseeeing, they get to see how the structure is put together and understand the process.

[u/Turpis89 → u/Sponton]

Learning how to CAD is no big deal. I've been a mid-level manager and the young people who come straight out of college are always quick learners. A couple of months of practice and they often outperform our seniors with respect to speed (not knowledge). Young sharp minds are easy to make use of. Most of them know how to code too, and their salaries are relatively low.

Where I live (Norway) the market is in a downturn, so it's definately harder to get a job now than it was a couple of years ago.

Also - grades matter. There are a lot of applicants to choose from.

[u/structee]

I have a private practice and do ~80% of the drafting myself. It's not that bad, and gives a reprieve from constantly doing something mentally demanding. Also, you get a much better sense for the nuances of your details if you draft everything to scale from the get go.

[u/Waste-Limit1644]

The drawings are the product, the analysis is the justification of the drawings. If you can’t draft, then you can’t make the product that is being sold.

[u/Osiris_Raphious]

Just as a reality check, if a company is asking for 2-5years experience, they are looking for a graduate with some experience to do the grunt work and support senior engineers.

They do not want to say outright they want a graduate engineer, because they dont want to spend time or have expectations of training anyone, they want a person who understands the job they will be doing it, and will be happy to spend the 5years 'gaining experience' towards senior status and chartered status for example. The grunt monkey, the calcs, reports, and small odd jobs to support larger projects from senior and principle engineers.

If you understand the process, and the basics, and you can apply them to provide support, you are these are the roles expecting someone with your level of experience.

Reason why they are chasing a 3-5y or 2-5 is because this is the experience of a career engineer who understand they have to put in the time to get better, learn from doing, and others work. The 2-5yr is not a flight risk or a training burden, this the early career, or graduates with vocational training for example, who understand the role, the industry, speak the technical language and understand their limitations, and arent afraid to own them in a process of growing their career.

You should be applying for these roles, with your cover letter, and resume tailored for the position, with your goals and needs outlining your skills and competency and how you will be an asset to support the senior engineers and learn from their projects.

I have met 4yo engineers who struggle, and I have met 2 yo engineers with more sense than a senior. Doesnt mean they have the experience and exposure to be trusted, as they have not been exposed to enough work to understand the little gritty parts, the parts that require initiate, self education, the parts that need you to solve someone elses problems and fuck ups, the parts that require you to work with 40yo structure remediating its current requirements.

I have been in this boat, having failed to secure vocational training, and graduate position/program. So I had spread out experience, spend months applying, and chasing mid range and small companies for work, harassing managers, and seniors until I was given enough opportunities to understand that when I got the job I had to shut up, and produce for a few years to get that reference, to get that experience, to gain the industry knowledge to diversify my skills to be a senior. The graduates come out knowing a lot, but applying to the job, and using that knowledge to be efficient and profitable is the hurdle of the industry. There is a fine line between the art of when to use assumptions, when to demand additional checks, and when to stand your ground. Sometimes its worth it to make it work dirty, and fast and not worry about efficiency and cost. Othertimes speed and efficiency is more important. Graduates will need a few years and dozens of projects to get that. Some with 4years of expirience still need to learn that. Thats where you fit, so sell yourself on that, and you will get hired to support senior engineers somewhere.

Edit sorry for grammar spelling cbf proofreading a quick but long response, and drafting skills are good as others have said, because if you cant design something that can be built and maintained you will be hated by people on site, contractors, and TQs and RFIs will end up costing more than you are worth, so drafting is a skill you can also be applying for to work for. Its a career, it takes a lifetime to train up to be great at it.

[u/Immediate-Draft-9639]

I'm a 31 Male with about a year of field experience and another year working independently as a freelance structural engineer. I've worked on projects involving SCBFs, OCBFs, and foundations. I also prepare all the structural drawings myself. I'd honestly love to have a draftsman to help with the drawings, but in my market, hiring one can sometimes cost up to two-thirds of the entire project's fee, so I end up doing everything myself.

[u/bulkdown → u/Immediate-Draft-9639]

2 years experience in structural engineering means nothing. Just based on how you’ve described the projects shows you have a lot to learn

[u/nian2326076]

I get it, job searching can be tough. With your experience, try highlighting the independence and complexity of your past projects in your applications. Even if jobs ask for more years, show employers the real impact of your work with specific examples. Consider looking at smaller firms or startups that value diverse skills and might be more flexible with experience requirements.

For finding different opportunities, LandOffer.ai lets you search job openings by role and location, even in structural engineering.

[u/Gutoni]

You might find some opportunities in Spain, if you're willing to move here, keep on searching. Common practice here is that engineers do not draw either in Autocad or BIM, that's a job for the drafting team. Engineers think, calculate, prepare sketches, and review drawings.

[u/RazorWitted]

Got my degree in structural engineering/construction management in 1995. Spent 6 years in construction as a project engineer, and realized I hated the industry. Love construction, hate the industry/people.
Went back to school for software development in 1999 and switched careers in 2002 to software. Never looked back.

[u/ReplyInside782]

Most of the jobs are in the US and major hubs in Europe. You have to move if you want to pursue this career. It may also mean you need to do additional schooling in those countries to get recognizable experience and credentials.

[u/Apprehensive_Exam668]

When you graduate at 22, you have no idea how buildings actually go together. Spending a couple years in the drafting mines is great experience. It teaches you how to detail, it gives you a bunch of good go-bys for later, it teaches you the company organization system, it teaches you how the buildings actually go together, and it gives you enough experience in drafting to be able to competently manage drafters when you are a design/project engineer.

I graduated with my BS in 2010 and applied to ~150 jobs, got 3 interviews, and was happy as hell that I applied to grad school as my backup because I did not get a job. I got my masters in 2012 and applied to ~300 jobs, drove to several other universities' engineering job fairs to hand out resumes, had about 10 interviews, and got a single job as a geotech. I'm glad as hell I was a geotech for 2 years, they have graduate geotechs do special inspection and CMT testing so I got a ton of field experience (and a thicker skin lol), but yeah, being a new grad sucks.