The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for roughly 25,000 new engineers every year through the end of this decade. But the structural engineering pipeline, already strained by the retirement of Baby Boomers, is about to get thinner: U.S. colleges are reporting a 20% drop in international students, and H-1B visa challenges are closing a door that many firms have relied on.
Those numbers framed the conversation at NCSEA’s 2026 Leadership Week, held May 19–20 in Des Plaines, Illinois, but they were far from the only one. Over two days, SEA leaders, NCSEA committee chairs, and board members worked through the issues and opportunities shaping structural engineering associations and the profession at large.
The SE shortage isn’t just a pipeline problem. Participants explored strategies at every stage: K–12 outreach, internship opportunities, mentorship structures for young engineers, and workplace cultures that encourage retention.
Strategic planning was another major focus, approached from two directions. SEA leaders worked through what it takes to build a plan that’s future-focused, data-driven, and built to be used rather than filed away. Separately, NCSEA shared updates on its own strategic planning process, giving leaders a look at where the organization is headed.
SEA leaders also gathered in regional coalition groups to explore partnership opportunities, including joint conferences, shared programming, and other ways local groups can accomplish more by working together.
On the national front, NCSEA’s advocacy campaign We See Above & Beyond is shifting from brand awareness toward something more substantive — a practical resource for architects, developers, and building owners, built on content from practicing SEs in the We SEE Task Group.
Whether the topic was workforce pipelines, strategic planning, or advocacy, the underlying question was the same: what does it take to keep this profession strong? Two days didn’t answer it completely, but that’s not really the point. Leadership Week is where the work begins.
