New research finds engineers are Britain’s second most trusted profession
Published: Fri 25 Nov 2022
The IET worked with the 2022 Ipsos Veracity Index, an annual poll that has measured the trustworthiness of professions in Britain since 1983, to include engineering for the fifth year running.
The research found that 87% of people trust engineers to tell the truth, with the profession being one of only three whose trust score has improved since 2021.
IET President, Professor Bob Cryan CBE, said: “Engineers play a central role in everyday life, contributing to advancing the world around us and finding solutions to global challenges such as climate change.
It’s fantastic to see that nearly 9 in 10 people trust engineers – this demonstrates 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 shortfalls in engineer numbers faced across the UK by encouraging the next generation of talent, as engineering continues to be a vital profession across the world.”
The research found that trust in engineers is equal across genders, with just a one percentage point difference between men and women. Despite this, only 16.5% of engineers and technicians identify as women, something which we hope to address through our various campaigns, including our upcoming Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards.
2022 marks the fifth year running that engineering has been included as a key profession and this year it has achieved its highest ever ranking since it was first included in the survey in 2018.