Engineering employees' confidence slipped to 54.4 in the third quarter for a drop of 4.6 points from the second quarter, marking the second consecutive decline in 2012, according to the Randstad Engineering Employee Confidence Index.

While the report finds respondents are unsure about the economy and job availability, their feelings regarding their own job security holds strong. 

"Despite the relative positive outlook for the engineering field, it appears professionals in this industry may have been impacted by negative news surrounding the employment situation and economic conditions abroad, especially in Europe," says Richard Zambacca, president of Randstad Engineering. "This diminished optimism is reflected in this quarter's findings, specifically the fact that half of the engineers' surveyed feel there are fewer jobs available and indicate they are not likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months. However, it is important to note that more workers feel secure in their positions than in the second quarter.