EngineeringUK finds strong employment prospects for engineering and tech grads

The report found that almost three-quarters of graduates who studied engineering and technology (72.5 per cent) were in paid work for an employer 15 months after graduation, which is higher than that for graduates from all other subjects combined (69.7 per cent).

A significant proportion of those studying engineering and tech in higher education are going on to work in engineering, the report found. Of the engineering and technology graduates in paid work for an employer, 67.8 per cent went on to work in an engineering occupation, and most of these (66.5 per cent) are working in the engineering industry, up from 60 per cent reported last year.

Furthermore, researchers found that engineers were significantly more likely to agree that their degree was relevant to their job than non-engineering graduates. Longer term career prospects were also found to be ‘promising’ as engineers were significantly more likely to agree that they feel “on track” with their plans for the future compared to non-engineers.

The report also found that salary prospects for the industry are ‘good,’ with graduates in engineering occupations tending to earn more money than graduates in non-engineering occupations. Most engineering graduates said they were on a salary of between £25,000 to £30,000, or higher.

In a statement, Dr Hilary Leevers, chief executive at EngineeringUK, said: “Engineering and technology is a critical industry in the UK with a growing and exciting range of job opportunities – which makes it a popular degree subject choice. Our report highlights that engineering graduates can look forward to strong employability prospects, competitive salaries and can hit the ground running with their career ambitions shortly after graduating.

“National Careers Week is an ideal time for our sector to showcase to young people the range of excellent benefits a career in engineering and technology can offer. While higher education is the most common route into the sector, there are of course excellent technical and vocational routes - such as apprenticeships and T Levels - making it an accessible career choice for all young people.”

Emily Xu, a Chemical Engineering graduate who now works at AtkinsRéalis, said: “My education and career in STEM has opened up many opportunities to design innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems and meet likeminded engineers and scientists. My degree gave me strong technical foundations and developed my problem-solving mindset, allowing me to work in almost any industry – from engineering and technology to pharmaceuticals and food science.

“I would encourage any young person to consider studying STEM because you could be part of the next generation of engineers to lead the technological advancements required for a sustainable future.”

The full report, ‘Engineering graduate outcomes,’ will be available to download later this week on EngineeringUK’s website.