Latest UKAS Figures Show Promise for Young Engineering Talent

Phil Black - PII Editor 10/07/2015

105 1 minute read

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Today’s UCAS figures spell good news for the future of British engineering, with the number of applications to study engineering increasing by 7% on the previous year for all domiciles, and up by 9% for UK applicants.

Verity O’Keefe, Senior Employment and Skills Policy Advisor at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, says:

“Today’s figures show that the number of applicants to study engineering has increased by 7%. This is a much needed upward tick for our sector which continues to cry out for young talent. Manufacturing needs to find almost one million workers by 2020 simply to replace those retiring or leaving industry. If we are to meet this challenge head-on and provide the skilled workers that industry needs the number of UK engineering graduates needs to increase significantly.

“While today’s statistics show good progress is being made, applications are just the beginning. We must fix the ‘leaky’ engineering pipeline to ensure that today’s applicants will become tomorrow’s skilled engineers.”