Dr Hilary Leevers
Chief Executive, Engineering UK
With engineering and technology skills more in demand, the sector offers excellent career prospects for people from all backgrounds.
There’s real momentum across the sector to increase diversity and ensure everyone, especially women, can aspire to and access these careers. Creativity, problem solving, communication and teamwork are as important as digital and technical skills.
Opportunities for all
Other skills are in demand too. I met a hairdresser who capitalised on her hand-eye coordination and attention to detail to retrain in welding, a highly paid profession, as the UK has a critical shortage of welders.
From renewable energy and 3D printing to AI and automation, there’s a variety of roles in engineering and technology. Unsurprisingly, about a fifth of jobs in the UK are in engineering and technology. And because of workforce shortages, these jobs are well paid, with salaries about a third above average.
The government’s industrial plans include securing clean energy and driving economic growth through investment across engineering and technology sectors, and this includes hundreds of millions of pounds of funding for training. This will open more opportunities for young people and offer shorter, more flexible courses. If you or someone you know is thinking about a future career, please consider the full range of vocational and technical training options. They include many that are free, available to those retraining and offered as apprenticeships, as well as academic routes.
we need people from a wide range of backgrounds that bring diverse skills, ways of thinking and experiences to enhance productivity and innovation.
Everyone is welcome (especially women)
We don’t just need a larger workforce — we need people from a wide range of backgrounds that bring diverse skills, ways of thinking and experiences to enhance productivity and innovation. While women’s participation in the sector has improved, we still have some way to go to reach parity. We work with many businesses and government departments to support these efforts.
To clarify, this isn’t about turning anyone away. We need hundreds of thousands more engineers and technologists by 2030. However, we’d like everyone to appreciate and be able to access the fantastic opportunities of a career in engineering and technology. Whatever your gender or background is, you’ll be warmly welcomed.
