The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering released their first-ever Create the Future report, detailing the results of a global survey of public attitudes towards the engineering profession.
On October 26, 2015, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering released their first-ever Create the Future report, detailing the results of a global survey of public attitudes towards the engineering profession. While Canada was not one of the 10 countries surveyed, the report does present some key findings that are relevant to engineering in Canada and may hold implications for the sustainability of the profession.
- People worldwide are united in their respect for the engineering sector’s positive influence on society in the past, and nine in 10 people have faith in engineering to solve the challenges of the future—in particular, environmental and infrastructure challenges. In the next 20 years, people want to see engineering lead the way in building a better, more sustainable world in the areas of renewable energy and healthcare as well.
- A career in engineering is seen as the first out of 13 careers measured as being vital for economic growth.
- Despite that, seven in 10 people claim that engineering is undervalued for its contribution to society.
- Interest in engineering is highest in countries that have recently experienced rapid economic growth (i.e. India and China), and interest in those countries is spread evenly amongst men and women. In more established economies, however (i.e. the United States and Germany), a career in engineering appeals to fewer people, the majority of whom are male.
- Worldwide, people recognize engineering’s positive role in creating new job opportunities in their communities. However, in seven of the 10 countries, there is a perceived lack of resources to help young people get started in the profession.
To read the complete report, visit the Queen Elizabeth Prize website.
