Disappointing 2009 for Architects and Engineers
Employment figures take big hit in 2009
According to an online survey of 43 A/E firm leaders conducted by Zweig White, an independent market research and publishing company, 72% of respondents said their firms lost both professional and support staff in 2009, and 35% said they are considering additional staff cuts.
Zweig White also noted that the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Monthly Labor Review report for November, stating that the A/E industry lost roughly 115,000 jobs between November 2008 and November 2009. Seasonally adjusted report numbers show that 1.313 million people were employed by architectural and engineering services in November, compared to 1.428 million in November 2008. At its peak in April 2008, employment in the industry was 1.451 million. The November 2009 number represents the lowest employment for the A/E industry since 2005.