Interest grows in engineering as a career

Paul Boughton
New research from the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) in the UK finds a 19 per cent increase since June 2008 in the number of the general public that would recommend a career in engineering to their children, family and friends.

The research also reveals an 8 per cent increase in the general public and a 6 per cent increase in the number of parents and guardians who regard engineering as a ‘desirable’ or very desirable’ career.
 
The research, undertaken by Turquoise Thinking as part of the ETB’s annual Engineers and Engineering Brand Monitor, also shows a modest 5 per cent increase in the number of 16-24 year olds who regard engineering as desirable or very desirable. However it also suggests this positive shift in perceptions of engineering is not yet filtering down to the Under 16s, of whom only 18 per cent considered engineering to be desirable or very desirable.
 
The least positive attitude towards engineering was amongst 7-11s with 49 per cent believing being an engineer would be ‘boring’ and preferring more immediately visible careers such as teacher, footballer and doctor. Having said that however, the number of 7-11s claiming they would categorically not want to be an engineer has dropped significantly from 70 per cent to 60 per cent. 
 
Key Findings:
 
* 62 per cent of education professionals, 35 per cent of the public and 30 per cent of 11-16s have seen, heard of, or visited something in the past year that presented engineering in a positive way and inspired them.
 
* 85 per cent of the general public would recommend a career in engineering to their family, friends or children compared to 66 per cent in 2008.
 
* 62 per cent of parents and guardians view engineering as a desirable or very desirable career compared with 56 per cent in 2008.
 
* 57 per cent of the general public view engineering as a desirable or very desirable career, compared to 49 per cent in 2008.
 
* 45 per cent of 16-24 year olds view engineering as a desirable or very desirable career, compared to 40 pr cent in 2008.
 
* 49 per cent of 7-11 year olds think being an engineer would be boring.
 
* The number of 7-11s claiming they wouldn’t want to be an engineer has dropped from 70 per cent to 60 per cent.
 
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of the ETB, said: “Whilst we must not be complacent, there does seem to have been a significant increase in the number of people who see engineering as desirable or very desirable, and would recommend it as a career to their family and friends.
 
"There are many probable reasons for this positive shift in attitudes, from high profile engineering projects like the Olympics to the marked shift away from ‘financial engineering’ and towards ‘real engineering’ amongst the powers that be. The only thing we know for certain is that 62 per cent of teachers, tutors and careers advisors, 35 per cent of the general public and 30 per cent of 11-16s have seen or heard something positive and inspiring about engineering in the past year. As a community, we must pull together to increase this promising trend, paying particular attention to targeting the Under 16s who remain our biggest challenge in terms of engagement.”
  
The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) is an independent organisation that promotes the vital role of engineers, engineering and technology in our society. The ETB partners business and industry, government and the wider science and engineering community: producing evidence on the state of engineering, sharing knowledge within engineering and inspiring young people to choose a career in engineering, matching employers’ demand for skills.

For more information, visit www.etechb.co.uk

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