Tomorrow’s Engineers Week – the key facts

• Manufacturers are crying out for young talent: 66% plan to recruit an engineering graduate in the next three years and 66% plan to recruit an engineering apprentice in the next 12 months
• Opportunity to earn: the average engineering apprentice earns £7.03 per hour just to train, while the average engineering graduate earns a fifth more than other graduates
• Rules of attraction: 72% of manufacturers say raising awareness of apprenticeships  will encourage more young people into manufacturing - 63% say the same of STEM-promoting initiatives between schools and business
• Careers advice: six in ten (60%) say better-informed careers advice at school will encourage more into manufacturing
• Skills shortages facing manufacturers: four in five are struggling to recruit - over two-thirds (69%) say this is because candidates lack technical skills, while 48% do not have enough applicants to fill job roles.

“The fact is that our sector has struggled with an image problem and this has left it lagging behind in the race to attract talent. It’s vital that young people are now given an accurate and up-to-date picture of the wealth of opportunities on offer.

“The ongoing skills shortage, higher than average pay and the fact that manufacturing is leaping up the Government and public agenda, makes this a key time to reach out to young people and ensure they understand how and why they should get involved.”