The largest employment segment, with more workers than any other market segment, is construction.  Design professionals are also a large employment segment but much smaller than construction. 

Whatever happens to the world, GNP and economic growth will always be measured by construction starts (new projects). The measure of a healthy economy is most often detemined by construction metrics, even in the worst of times.  Projects change, construction markets change, but development and construction remains a primary employment marketplace and will continue to do so into the future. 

High technology, computer based markets, healthcare, and many others will be growth markets and may have higher than average hiring. But these are small pockets of industry when compared to the construction marketplace. 

Construction is also one of the highest paying industries of all markets (degreed or non-degreed professionals).