The United Kingdom has one of the most celebrated histories of engineering. From the great technological advances of George Stephenson and the visionary feats of Isambard Kingdom Brunel to the construction of Thomas Andrews’ ill-fated Titanic, British engineers take their rightful place amongst the world’s most revered.

Of course, much of the advancement in engineering developed from the Industrial Revolution, a period from which many large and technologically progressive industries resulted. Up until the 1970s, Britain was at the forefront of many of the engineering disciplines. During the 1970s there was a rapid decline in certain industries, like metal manufacturing and ship building, the impact of which had a profound effect on employment and the economy.

Due to the boom of micro technology and electronics in the 1990s, the steady economic decline was gradually slowed. Today the computer and electronics industry is one of Britain’s fastest growing, most innovative and globally respected. It is an area which has far reaching applications, and many sub-disciplines of engineering have received a much needed revitalizing. Even though the United Kingdom ranks among the world’s most powerful economies, there is still a shortage of engineers in almost every field and skill level. As such it makes an excellent base from which to launch an Engineering Career.

Many reasons for this insufficiency are ascribed to a lack of interest among students. The Engineering Education Scheme implemented by the the Royal Academy of Engineering is one of the most effective schemes to attract people into Engineering Careers. While many similar job initiatives have been implemented, an insufficient number are being recruited and trained to meet the increasing demands of an economy which is becoming more reliant on the international community to sustain and grow. Engineers in every field are required. As as result of the trend toward globalization and international business, there is a also a trends towards employing those with more than one set of skills, especially at a management level.

While the education system has caught up to these demands and is able to train people accordingly, there are still too few studying engineering of all types. One of the reasons cited for this is the preference of student to seek careers in other areas. Many of those who might once have had the enthusiasm and aptitude are choosing career paths in the IT industry. An industry which is already flooded while the engineering industries still have vast gaps awaiting suitable candidates. Coupled with a general reluctance of students to take mathematics and science subjects during their last years of High School, the graduate output of University-qualified engineers far outweighs the demand. Due to the changing nature of an increasing internationally reliant economy, a greater degree of flexibility within most positions has also limited the number of suitable candidates. In many areas, like those which utilize the professional skills of design engineers and electrical engineers, there are unfilled vacancies waiting for those with a broader work experience.

In order to attract candidates to the various industries, many companies have begun internal schemes to help their employees broaden their skills, particularly at an intermediate and higher level.

The demands of international business might place a degree of additional responsibility on candidates, but the nature of a fast developing and every more ingenious approach to finance and the economy has also breathed new life into previously struggling industries. More than a few companies report that despite past decline, they are managing to find a place in the new Britain. If these few companies are in anyway glimpse of what’s to come then engineering careers are going to be more in demand than they currently are.

All the above considered, one constant has remained in the United Kingdom since the Industrial Revolution: it is a country which cannot survive without the specialized skills and discipline which are inherent in all engineers.