Employment of environmental engineering technicians is projected to grow 24 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.
Employment in this occupation is typically tied to projects created by environmental engineers. State and local governments are expected to focus efforts and resources on efficient water use and wastewater treatment, which will support the demand for environmental engineering technicians.
The increasing call to clean up contaminated sites, as mandated by Congress and directed by the Environmental Protection Agency, is expected to help sustain demand for these technicians’ services. In addition, wastewater treatment is becoming a larger concern in areas of the country where new methods of drilling for shale gas require the use and disposal of large volumes of water. Environmental engineering technicians will continue to be needed to help utilities and water treatment plants comply with new federal or state environmental regulations.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition