The Institution of Mechanical Engineers saw new registrations rise to 2,933 last year, an increase of nearly 6% on 2016 and the third year of consecutive growth, according to the latest figures from the Engineering Council.
IMechE reported a higher number of total new registrations than any other professional engineering institution, a trend which it has maintained for six years in a row.
The figures showed new Chartered Engineer registrations at IMechE rose to 1,942 in 2017, up from 1,735 in 2016 and a jump of 35% over the previous five years.
The increase meant that last year the Institution accounted for 31% of new Chartered Engineer registrations.
This success is the result of IMechE’s campaigns to promote engineering as well as its focus on working with schools and employers to encourage young people to enter the profession and develop their skills to make a difference to society.
“This impressive rise reflects IMechE’s drive to raise the profile of engineering and engage more deeply with schools and employers. Our Institution is recognised globally for its outreach and for upholding high professional standards,” said Stephen Tetlow, Chief Executive of IMechE.
The wider challenge is that despite the increase in IMechE registrations of 9% over the last 10 years, there has been a decline over the same period of 11% across the whole profession.
This is a wake-up call if we are to meet the needs of engineers in the future and highlights the importance of campaigns to promote engineering as a career choice to help fill the UK’s skills gap, Tetlow said.
“As an Institution, we plan to consult our members on how our professional institutions can work more closely together to provide the leadership needed to modernise the sector and speak with a single voice on key policy issues,” Tetlow concluded
