Report says graduate engineers going to waste

Some 24 per cent of UK engineering graduates have taken unskilled positions. A report from Birmingam University, ‘is there a shortage of scientists?’ will be presented to the British Educational Research Association (Bera) annual conference in London, UK on Thursday. Some 46 per cent of 2009 engineering graduates entered fields related to their subject.

Confederation of British Industries director for education and skills policy Susan Anderson said, “The shortage of science, technology, engineering and maths graduates is an issue for businesses.”

However, report author Professor Emma Smith said, “It is astonishing, in the light of claims of science graduate shortages, that so few new graduates go into related employment.