Published: Wed 20 Nov 2024
Engineers climb the ratings to become Britain’s second most trusted profession
Ninety per cent of people trust engineers to tell the truth, according to the latest Veracity Index from Ipsos, published today.
Out of a list of 26 different professions, engineers are the second most trusted in Great Britain, up from fourth place (with a score of 85%) in 2023.
Nine in 10 people (90%) across the country trust engineers to tell them the truth, putting them just ahead of doctors (88%) and being topped only by nurses (94%).
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) worked with the 2024 Ipsos Veracity Index, which has been tracking the latest movements in Britons’ trust in key professions since the 1980s, to include engineering for the sixth year running.
The profession, which makes up 19% of the UK workforce*, is trusted to tell the truth by nine in 10 people (90% of the population), closely following nurses (94%) and moving ahead of doctors, professors and teachers. Engineers have recorded similar levels of trust in previous years, including a score of 89% in 2020.
Trust in engineers is almost equal across genders, with just a four-percentage point difference between men and women. Despite this, only 15.7% of engineers identify as women, something which the IET hopes to address through various campaigns and initiatives, including its upcoming Young Woman Engineer (YWE) of the Year Awards.
Titi Oliyide, the current IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year, said: “Engineers play a central role in everyday life, contributing to advancing the world around us and finding solutions to the global challenges we as a society face. It’s fantastic to see that nine in 10 people across the country trust engineers, demonstrating the huge level of professionalism and importance of engineers in the UK.
“The last couple of years have highlighted more than ever the vital role engineers play in developing technology and rapid processes to keep our infrastructure and economy running.
“This recognition of trust by the public is a welcome boost to all those in industry, academia and our communities working together to address the shortfall of engineers and amplifies our duty to lead and innovate responsibly for the betterment of our planet and society.”
At the bottom of the trust league are politicians generally (11%), government ministers (15%), advertising executives (16%) and journalists (27%).
To find out more, you can visit the Ipsos website.
ENDS
Notes for editors
*Trends in the engineering workforce between 2010 and 2021, Engineering UK, 2022.
The Ipsos Veracity Index is an annual poll that has measured the trustworthiness of professions in Britain since 1983.
This year’s survey was carried out over the telephone, with 1,015 British adults aged 16+ between 9 and 15 October 2024.
Data is weighted to match the profile of the population. Where percentages do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding.
Further details can be found on the Ipsos website.
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M: +44 (0)7872 844 422
E: SLockyer@theiet.org
Rebecca Gillick
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M: +44 (0)7706 297 580
E: RGillick@theiet.org
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