There has been a 14% year-on-year increase in the number of students being accepted into engineering and technology degree courses this year, UCAS data has revealed.
With A-level results announced today, it’s been revealed that the top three subjects with the largest growth in acceptances overall are engineering and technology, with 34,100 placed applicants (+14% on last year), followed by social sciences with 48,840 placed applicants (+6%), and then law with 28,590 placed applicants (+5%).
With student loan debt and cost-of-living pressures mounting, the increase could suggest a trend towards students veering towards more vocational degrees.
Public perceptions around engineering are also shifting, with the subject no longer exclusively seen as traditional civil or mechanical work. In recent times, high-profile growth in AI, robotics, clean energy and autonomous technology has given the sector a modern image.
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