'Engineering our future' is the first part of National Grid's plan to invest in a long term strategy to positively affect the attitudes of young people and their parents and teachers towards engineering as a career choice.

These pages currently contain background information and supporting materials relating to our initial report.

National Grid commissioned the Engineering Our Future report which carried out more than 1500 interviews with young people aged 14 to 19, their parents and teachers. In addition, there were interviews with some of National Grid’s recently qualified engineers.

As we progress we will add new materials here and provide updates on progress. Please come back to see how we're doing.

Background to the report

The Engineering Our Future report was commissioned by National Grid to get an understanding of attitudes towards engineering among young people, parents and teachers across Britain.

It revealed a picture of confusion about the role of engineer with many seeing it as menial work. This was accompanied by low levels of appreciation for engineers’ contribution to society.

The surveys and workshops pointed to:

• a weak definition of what engineering is and confusion about what engineers do – it is almost an “invisible industry”, for example 6 out of 10 young people cannot name a recent engineering achievement
• people are more comfortable with "blue collar" images of men in overalls who fix things; prejudice and stereotypes stem from this
• girls are ten times less likely to say they would pursue a career in engineering.

Steve Holliday, chief executive of National Grid, said: “This report makes extremely worrying reading. We know from our workforce planning that nearly 1,000 engineers are needed by 2020 and within that time up to one third of our engineering workforce could retire. Our current level of  'growing our own' through graduate and apprentice schemes will not fill this gap.  This is one of the biggest challenges we face as a business”.

In light of the report findings, National Grid is reviewing its education and skills programme.  Among the new initiatives will be:

• School Power – a new scheme where National Grid employees will go into primary schools with a programme of activities that will stimulate interest in how energy, forces and materials work.  The programme will also be available for teachers and others to use online
• a revamped work experience programme. Along with the Royal Academy of Engineers National Grid will create a blueprint for the best kind of work experience and placements alongside a mentoring and coaching programme aimed at teachers and careers advisors
• career opportunities for young people who are socially disadvantaged.  National Grid was at the forefront of a Young Offender programme which has successfully given skills training and employment to young people nearing completion of their sentences. A new programme to involve young people who are at disadvantage but before they are involved in any offending behaviour is being piloted in the North West.

If you would like more information please contact volunteer@ngrid.com.