2 min read - 1 Sep, 2026
New study reveals girls are leading the way in engineering jobs of the future
Girls are rewriting the rules of engineering, with new research revealing they are leading the charge into some of the profession’s fastest-growing and most high-tech careers. Rather than following traditional engineering pathways, they are increasingly drawn to fields shaping the future, including biomedical engineering, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and healthcare technologies.
A study by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and careers platform Unifrog, has found that while boys still dominate engineering overall, the traditional gender divide has disappeared in biomedical engineering, suggesting girls are increasingly choosing engineering careers that combine technology, healthcare and innovation.
The report, The Future is Engineering: What Young People Really Think, also busts one of the biggest myths surrounding the profession. Contrary to perceptions that engineering struggles to attract young people, it has become one of the UK’s most popular subjects for students planning their future, ranking third out of 21 university subject areas researched.
Overall, boys remain more likely to shortlist engineering degrees, at 14% compared with 4% of girls. Regardless of gender, students interested in engineering are more likely to see themselves as strong problem-solvers and confident with numeracy, at 68% and 47% respectively, compared with 59% and 35% of their peers.
Engineering-minded students are also more likely to engage with employers, attend careers events and visit universities, with 37% doing so compared with 24% of non-engineering students. And they are significantly less interested in fame or prestige than students studying different subjects, at 12% compared with nearly a quarter (20%) of other students. Instead, they place greater value on practical experience, employer engagement and understanding their future career opportunities.
New research shows that girls are increasingly drawn to fields shaping the future, including biomedical engineering, biotechnology and healthcare technologies / Picture: Getty/iStock
Matthew Rooney, head of engineering policy and impact at IMechE, said: “Engineering is changing, and young people are changing with it. The stereotype that engineering is only about engines, factories and hard hats is disappearing.
“Today’s engineers are designing life-saving medical devices, developing artificial intelligence, transforming healthcare and tackling some of society’s biggest challenges. It’s encouraging to see more girls recognising that engineering offers exciting careers where they can make a real difference.
“While there is still much more to do to close the overall gender gap, these findings show the future of engineering is becoming broader, more diverse and more appealing than ever before.”
The report highlights biomedical engineering as one of the fastest-growing disciplines, driven by an ageing population, healthcare innovation and advances in medical technology – creating opportunities for more women to help tackle engineering’s wider skills gap.
Interest in engineering is consistent across socioeconomic backgrounds, challenging the idea that it mainly appeals to particular groups or areas. However, traditional disciplines such as civil engineering remain less popular, despite their vital role in housing, infrastructure, climate resilience and net zero, creating a future skills risk.
Based on anonymised Unifrog data from thousands of 14 to 16-year-olds, the report reveals not just what subjects interest young people, but how they approach careers, with aspiring engineers actively seeking information, employer engagement and real-world experience.
Read the full report below:
