[westbywest]

Vaguely similar observation from a previous employer in engineering: job health is effectively a derivative of the general economy. That is, if your job entails design/construction of something new, you job would be stable in an economy under flux, where clients have desire to hire your services. Not strictly just a growing economy, because effects like transition to new technology can also ensure stable job prospects. A stagnating or impeded economy, while possibly still ensuring stable jobs for other fields, would mean job reduction in design and engineering.