‘Dangerous’ shortfall of engineers feared

The organisation reported an overall 1.3% drop in students applying for engineering degrees, a figure described by the Institution of Mechanical engineers (IMechE) as 'small but deeply worrying'. Colin Brown, the IMechE's director of engineering, said: "The drop in applications for engineering degrees may be small but is hugely worrying as we need young engineering talent more than ever to help the country's economy pick up. "If we are to recover we need engineers to help boost manufacturing industries, to ensure secure and low carbon energy supplies and to develop major projects like HS2. "Ultimately the drop in student numbers may also lead to job cuts at some universities with effects on engineering departments that will be difficult to reverse." The institution's Higher Education Tuition Fees position statement, released today, recommends that government links its higher education policy to its plans for economic growth and reduces tuition fees for subjects that are of long term value to the economy. It also calls on the government to introduce a system to progressively write off student debt for students with degrees in strategically important and vulnerable subjects and who achieve agreed professional qualifications in a related occupation. Brown concluded: "Demand for graduate engineers is predicted to rise. Hence any reduction in the number of applicants for engineering degrees could have significant implications for universities and for the economy as a whole. "Investment in higher education should support government plans for economic growth. Engineering is vital to our future, health, wealth and security and should be prioritised."