More than half a million new engineers are needed by 2017 to ensure the UK’s economic recovery. The figure emerged in Engineering UK’s annual report on the state of the UK engineering sector last week.

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Network (STEMNET), which aims to inspire young people in these areas, said it was working with an equivalent group, Manufacturing Insight, to challenge perceptions of careers in these industries and recruit new talent.

“The UK needs to nurture and train a new cohort of qualified engineers to get the economy back on track,” said STEMNET chief executive Yvonne Baker. “From Isambard Kingdom Brunel to James Dyson, the UK has long been, and continues to be, a world-leader in engineering. It is crucial that we maintain that position.”

www.stemnet.org.uk.