Engineering 'is the fourth most trusted profession in the UK'

Engineering is the fourth most trusted profession in the UK, a new study has revealed.

People working in the sector are seen as trustworthy by 87% of the population – just behind nurses, doctors and teachers – according to the 2018 Ipsos Mori Veracity Index.

Trust in engineers is especially high among graduates at 91%, something the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) said is vital because of the need for increasing numbers of qualified engineering professionals. 

“Nearly nine in 10 people trust engineers – this demonstrates the huge level of professionalism and importance of engineers in the UK to support our infrastructure and continue to advance the world around us,” said IET spokeswoman Mamta Singhal.

“Having engineers at the top of the index amongst the likes of doctors and teachers will hopefully help us further shift outdated perceptions of engineering and encourage the next generation into an inspiring and rewarding career.”

Engineering featured in the survey of 1,001 people for the first time after the IET worked for its inclusion.

Engineers fared much better in the index that politicians and estate agents, who were trusted by 19% and 30% of people respectively.