Editor’s note: The following commentary was written by Eric Brey, PhD, dean of the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design at UT San Antonio, and originally appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.
Stop for a minute. Look around. We take for granted the systems that allow us to live, work and thrive in Texas: the roads we drive on, the power required to keep the air on during a Texas summer, the planes that take us to new places and the technology in our hands.
Nearly everything that shapes modern life passes through the hands and minds of engineers.
Engineers design, build, test and improve the systems that deliver on the promises of the future. In Texas, we are in the middle of developing this future.
Our state is undergoing incredible growth and is a powerhouse for critical industries in the areas of energy, semiconductors, medical devices, transportation, manufacturing, aerospace and defense. These sectors drive economic growth and depend on engineers for success.
Engineering is one of the strongest and most reliable career choices available today.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities in engineering are projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2024 to 2034 with median pay at more than twice the national average.
At UT San Antonio we have one of the fastest-growing engineering programs in the nation. When you combine this with our deep commitment to addressing the cost of an education — nearly 50% of our engineering freshman receive scholarships — degrees in engineering at UT San Antonio have an incredible return on investment.
Students are recognizing what industry already knows: Engineers are problem-solvers who address the most important issues in our society.
Engineers are trained to embrace emerging technologies to solve important problems. The rise of artificial intelligence brings incredible opportunities for engineering. Engineers must be trained to embrace AI and apply it to increase the impact of their work.
The rapid expansion of data centers also increases the need for engineers.
Texas is increasingly becoming a major hub for this infrastructure. In November 2025, Google announced a $40 billion investment in Texas to expand cloud, AI and data center infrastructure — its largest investment in any state in the country. That investment includes three new data centers and is expected to continue through 2027.
This has fueled massive investment in infrastructure, requiring engineers to design and build the servers and computing systems inside those centers, but also the buildings and roads.
This is only one part of the story. Engineers optimize and deliver the energy these facilities demand. They design and manufacture transformers, batteries, semiconductors and cooling systems. They plan the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems that allow data centers to operate safely and efficiently. As we move into physical AI applications, engineers are also designing robotics, drones, sensors and control systems that make these technologies practical and safe.
Engineering in the real world is not confined to a single industry or application. Texas understands this.
The state’s growth, its investments and its role in the global economy all depend on people who can design, build and sustain complex systems. San Antonio is well-positioned to benefit from this momentum, with industry, military and research partners working together to create strong pathways from education to employment.
Texas is building its future right now. The systems that are designed today will define how we live tomorrow. Engineers will be at the center of that work, solving the problems we can see and many we have not yet imagined.
That is what makes this such an incredible time to be an engineer in Texas.
