Great salary
The average starting salary for engineering and technology graduates is £25,762. This is above the average for all graduate starting salaries in the UK, which is £22,364. Engineering graduates will also earn over 30% more in their working lifetime than the average graduate (that adds up to over £144,000).
Engineering technicians, with an average salary of £34,018, top the league of technician salaries.
Engineers are in demand
Even in a tough job market, statistics show that engineers are in demand. Within six months of finishing university, 85% of engineering graduates go into paid work or further study.
This employability is set to continue as there is a looming demand for engineering skills in the UK. The country needs to almost double the number of qualified engineers we produce between 2010 and 2020 to meet the requirements of the industry – from around 46,000 per year currently to 87,000 in 2020. A large increase in the number of apprentices is also needed.
Over the course of this decade, those with engineering skills and qualifications will be well placed to get jobs – engineering companies are predicted to have 1.86 million job openings requiring engineering skills.
Studied science and maths? Then there’s something for everyone, whatever your interests
Engineers work with like-minded people on complex, challenging and rewarding projects that make a difference to the world. You need to have studied science and maths to go into engineering, but whatever your interests outside of those, it’s likely there’s a sector they can work in.
If you’re crazy about cars you can work in automotive engineering, or if you’re interested in tablet technology you can choose electronic engineering. Not to mention civil, aerospace, aeronautical, astronautical, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical and structural engineering – there’s something for everyone.
There are a variety of routes into an engineering career
It’s not just for graduates. Advanced/Modern Apprenticeships are an expanding and popular route into engineering, combining study with employment to achieve technical certificates. Students can also move into the industry after studying a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma, HND or Advanced Diploma.
Taking an industry apprenticeship straight from school means you can get ahead in your career, earn and learn at the same time and gain valuable qualifications and training without building up student debt.
Get the benefits of professional registration, recognition, development and communities
If you’re an engineer or training to become one, you can join the engineering institution relevant to your particular engineering discipline (for example, structural engineers can join the Institution of Structural Engineers – IStructE).
Engineering institutions provide career development and professional registration, awarding industry recognised qualifications such as Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Engineering Technician (EngTech). These demonstrate your commitment, professional experience and skills, as well as improving your career and salary opportunities. Institutions often provide a community, resources, events, support and more for engineers who join them. You can visit our professional registration page for more information about how to qualify for each professional level.
For more information about all these five points, take a look at the Tomorrow’s Engineers website, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest updates.
