Increasing demand for registered engineers
Published: 07 February, 2008
A biennial survey of registered engineers, conducted by the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) in association with the Engineering Council UK (ECUK) reveals that the median total earnings for both Chartered Engineers (CEng) and Incorporated Engineers (IEng) have risen by approximately 10 % since 2005.
The survey of 10,000 registered engineers, which has been carried out every two years since 2003, also reveals a median increase of 6 ½ % for Engineering Technicians (Eng Tech) which, though less than for Chartered and Incorporated Engineers, remains significantly above CPI inflation.
The report states that the average mean earnings of registered engineers are now £58,668 for Chartered Engineers, £46,543 for Incorporated Engineers and £37,636 for Engineering Technicians.
The survey demonstrates the number of professional engineers who have their registration and institutional membership fees paid by employers, is edging gradually upwards from 50% in 2005 to 53% in 2007. This suggests that many employers continue to regard professional registration as a significant benefit to the workforce.
Dr John Morton, Chief Executive of the ETB, believes that the increasing salaries detailed in the report, are broadly linked to increasing demand.
He said: "There is a growing need for competent engineers to help the UK compete on a global scale, and it would appear that salaries for registered engineers are starting to reflect this. Increasing salaries for registered engineers are welcome news in terms of attracting new recruits but there is much progress still to be made. If we are to fill the skills gaps and shortages which exist in some engineering sectors such as electronics, we in the engineering community must come together to communicate to the wider world what a socially and financially rewarding profession engineering really is.”