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Research conducted on engineering student and academic levels in the UK has shown a severe drop in the amount of second-level students choosing the engineering path when selecting university courses.  The research, conducted by Loudhouse on behalf of C-MAC MicroTechnology in November 2006, comprised of a survey of 100 heads of engineering departments and 250 undergraduate engineering students.  The survey highlights the very real possibility of the decline of UK's engineering industry - with an accompanying negative impact on the UK's economy - and the need for action to be taken to attract more students to the industry.

The research has highlighted some unsettling figures, not least the finding that almost half (45%) of universities have reported a significant drop in engineering course applications in the past three years.  It has also emerged that only 60% of the students currently undertaking engineering-related studies actually intend to pursue an engineering career when they graduate, while a massive 94% of lecturers believe that only half of the students will actually end up in engineering jobs.  Unsurprisingly, over 60% of respondents said that the criteria for entry to engineering courses have decreased significantly over the past three years.

The solutions to the situation proffered by the students themselves include the introduction of less theoretical and more practical course content, the possibility of higher employment rates for engineering graduates, industry sponsorships and better promotion of the engineering studies in second-level schools. A large proportion (58%) of those questioned feel that the decline in numbers can be related to the lack of promotion of the area by schools.  Nevertheless, the situation has not changed for the better despite the alteration by UK university departments of course content to include more business- and media-related topics over the past three years. 

Indro Mukerjee, CEO of C-MAC MicroTechnology, has commented on the findings and expressed his concern at the situation.  He sees the solution as two-tiered: the initial attraction of students to the area, and their subsequent retention in a career.  C-MAC are planning an education programme and visits to local schools to try and help with the promotion of engineering courses, leading to "a fulfilling and rewarding engineering career."

By Sile Mc Mahon