As National T Levels Week continues, a new survey from not-for-profit organisation EngineeringUK has found that the vast majority of parents find the idea of their child pursuing a STEM career in engineering (79%), science (79%), or technology (81%) appealing.
However, confidence in advising young people about these pathways remains low. More than half (55%) of parents said they were not confident discussing engineering careers, with almost a quarter (23%) describing themselves as “not at all confident”.
The findings also reveal a clear gender divide. Fathers are significantly more confident offering STEM-related career advice than mothers, particularly when it comes to engineering. While 58% of dads said they felt confident discussing engineering careers, only 25% of mums said the same.
Related reading: T Levels Week: New talent for manufacturing firms
Becca Gooch, Head of Research at EngineeringUK, said the results highlight a key barrier in helping young people explore technical and scientific careers.
“While schools play an important role in providing careers advice, we know that parents are the most consulted source of careers information by young people,” she explained.
“It’s encouraging that parents recognise engineering and tech provide great career opportunities, particularly as demand for these roles is growing in the UK. But we need to ensure parents are empowered to support their child to discover the variety of interesting and rewarding jobs and entry routes available.”#
The research suggests that this lack of confidence stems from low awareness of the different educational routes into STEM sectors. While 42% of parents said they knew a lot about university degrees, far fewer said the same for other options – only 20% for apprenticeships, 15% for other vocational qualifications, 12% for BTECs, and just 5% for T Levels.
In fact, over two-fifths (43%) of parents in England said they had either never heard of T Levels or were unsure if they had.
For parents who view engineering as an appealing career, the top motivations included good earning potential (73%), opportunities to work across different industries (63%), and interesting, varied work (61%).
Despite this, more than a quarter (27%) of parents believe their child would be unlikely to achieve a career in engineering even if they wanted to pursue it—again reflecting uncertainty about the accessibility and range of available routes, from apprenticeships and T Levels to university degrees.
Jo Hollingdale, Senior Careers Inspiration Manager at EngineeringUK, said that improving parental understanding could be key to broadening participation.
“With so much growth and endless opportunities to make a real-world impact, it’s a really exciting time for young people to embark on a career in engineering and technology,” she said.
“From climate change and digital transformation to healthcare and aerospace, there really is a role for everyone.”
Download the full What parents know about engineering and technology report to find out more.
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