Britain is on the brink of an engineering skills crisis that threatens to delay major infrastructure projects unless it addresses how the sector is seen.

Our latest deep data dive shows that a fifth of the engineering workforce is set to retire in the next five years, and current recruitment drives are failing to plug the gap. On today’s trends, the sector is heading for a shortfall of one million engineers by 2030 which runs the risk of delaying vital infrastructure projects.

Our polling and data analysis has revealed that engineering is the most admired profession in the UK. It was ranged against similarly skilled professions such as designers, software developers and architects.

But while 80% of people expressed high admiration for the industry, two thirds, 66%, said they had never thought of a career in the sector.

Across the age groups, Gen Z were the most reluctant to consider a career in engineering, with 30% saying they would not choose it. A third, 34%, thought the sector was too male dominated, while 32% were put off by the idea of engineering being a maths and science related job.

So, what are young recruits looking for, beyond a good salary? Our unexpected finding is that their values are less to do with saving the world, and more aligned with issues closer to home.

In our briefing, we uncover the hidden opportunities for the engineering sector to play a role in meeting these values, and in doing so bridge the skills gap and bring more diverse, young talent into engineering. Download the report below to find out more.