NMITE and the EPC worked together to conduct the survey of the nation’s engineering academics in advance of the EPC’s ‘Engineering Academics Network Annual Congress’, which NMITE is hosting in Hereford from 12 June. This three-day event will see engineering academics from universities across the UK come together to explore issues in education and engineering.
Academics from 85 UK higher education institutions were involved in the survey, which was conducted over the course of the last month, drawing on the EPC's database of members.
When asked what should be done to elevate the status of engineering, almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of respondents felt that engineering should be made more visible in schools, with one academic commenting: “Help to educate parents about what a fantastic career choice a professional engineer is”.
This response emphasises the importance of raising awareness of engineering as a career choice, as many school leavers are...