Frimley, UK, 2018-Jan-25
- Findings from a forthcoming EngineeringUK report identify an annual demand for at least 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills
- To help address the shortfall, Siemens is supporting a new campaign, #ThisIsEngineering, led by the Royal Academy of Engineering in collaboration with EngineeringUK
- The campaign is designed to reshape the perception of engineering, and give more young people from all backgrounds the opportunity to explore how they could follow what they love into a varied and fulfilling engineering career
Launched in the government’s Year of Engineering, the campaign has been created in response to significant demand for engineering talent in the UK. Findings from a forthcoming EngineeringUK report show that there is an annual demand for at least 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills, and an additional 79,000 roles that require engineering knowledge and skills alongside other skill sets.
Research conducted by YouGov on behalf of #ThisIsEngineering shows that 63% of young people (aged 13 to 18) think they will have a career that taps into their existing passions. They also said that when it comes to talking about the kinds of jobs they would like to do, they would prefer their parents to talk to them about their current interests, rather than what they want to be when they grow up.
However, the research also shows that young people are not inspired by talking to parents about their jobs, and only 35% of young people believe their parents’ careers involve something they are passionate about. Instead, young people online are increasingly turning to the internet for information about careers (52%), with search engines overtaking conversations with parents (41%) and teachers (37%) as a source of advice and inspiration.
Historically, the full breadth of engineering opportunities has not been widely understood or acknowledged, resulting in the perception that a career in engineering is narrow, technical and traditional. The #ThisIsEngineering campaign will help to reset the conversation about engineering, tapping into young people’s passions for subjects such as sport, technology and design, and illustrating through social media that the profession is diverse, challenging and creative.
It aims to bring engineering to life for young people from all backgrounds, demonstrating the role it plays across multiple industries – from fashion to sport - and give young people a better understanding of how their current passions could become rewarding careers through engineering.
Dr Hayaatun Sillem, CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering, comments: “Engineering is essential to the future growth of the UK economy and underpins so much of our day to day lives, but we are still facing a chronic shortfall of talent. Engineering can provide a unique opportunity for young people to develop their passions into rewarding careers involving everything from sport, film and space, to music and fashion. It opens the door to careers that can shape the future – from developing the next smartphone to creating medical devices that will save lives.
“The #ThisIsEngineering campaign brings together some of the UK’s leading engineering businesses to communicate this, and to address the skills shortage. The campaign is designed to reflect how young people think and feel about their futures, and illustrate how it’s possible to have a job that is truly inspiring.”
Justin Kelly, Siemens plc comments: “Siemens has a long history of engineering achievements for the benefit of society and it is vital to promote the exciting and rewarding opportunities that exist. We are delighted to support 'This is Engineering' campaign which will open people's eyes to just how important a role engineering plays in all our lives."
The #ThisIsEngineering campaign launches today with a high profile online advertising campaign, which brings to life the stories of five young engineers who have turned their passions into careers involving sport, fashion, tech, design and space. More information about the campaign is available at www.ThisisEngineering.org.uk
This is Engineering launches in the government-led Year of Engineering, a year-long programme to ‘open the doors’ to engineering and encourage the public, particularly young people, to take a closer look.
-ENDS-
Notes for Editors
- Royal Academy of Engineering. As the UK’s national academy for engineering, we bring together the most successful and talented engineers for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering. We provide analysis and policy support to promote the UK’s role as a great place to do business. We take a lead on engineering education and we invest in the UK’s world-class research base to underpin innovation. We work to improve public awareness and understanding of engineering. We are a national academy with a global outlook.
Four strategic challenges:
- Make the UK the leading nation for engineering innovation
- Address the engineering skills crisis
- Position engineering at the heart of society
- Lead the profession
The research
The research was commissioned by The Royal Academy of Engineering, and undertaken online by independent research company, YouGov, in December 2017. It surveyed 572 children aged between 13 and 18 and 1,049 parents in Britain (aged 18+). The results have been weighted and are representative of GB adults (aged 18+) and GB children.
#ThisIsEngineering
This is Engineering is led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, in collaboration with EngineeringUK, and with the generous support of corporate partners:
Strategic partner
Founding Principal partners
Principal partners
Sponsors
Find out more about the Royal Academy of Engineering here.
Find out more about EngineeringUK here and their Tomorrow’s Engineers programme here.
Find out more about our partners here.
Contact for journalists:
Amy Jones, Siemens plc
amy.jones@siemens.com
+44 (0) 7921 245 960
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com
