Unemployment rates for IT and engineering pros remain low

The unemployment rates for IT and engineering professions were much lower than the overall unemployment in the third quarter of 2012. The overall unemployment rate was about eight percent, which was at its lowest level in more than three years.  Recent reports from the Federal Reserve Board seem to support these data. Its "Beige Book," which details anecdotal reports from around the country regarding economic and employment conditions, found that "attracting skilled workers remains very difficult" and "... greater in areas such as health care, engineering, accounting, information technology, and skilled manufacturing trades where firms are having difficulty finding qualified candidates."

IT Occupations
Computer and information systems managers	2.2
Computer and information research scientists	0.9
Computer network architects	4.0
Computer programmers	5.3
Computer support specialists	6.0
Computer systems analysts	3.8
Database administrators	3.1
Network and computer systems administrators	1.7
Software developers, applications and systems software	2.3
Web developers	4.3
Engineering Occupations
Aerospace engineers	1.0
Architectural and engineering managers	4.7
Civil engineers	2.3
Electrical and electronic engineers	4.7
Engineering technicians	5.6
Materials engineers	5.1
Petroleum engineers	0.4
Source: unpublished tabulations of Current Population Survey data furnished by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics