Engineering Council

Professional Registration Statistics 2023

The Engineering Council has published its Annual Registration Statistics Report 2023, which allows us to present statistics on our key database – the national Register of those engineers and technicians that have been assessed against our Standards of professional competence and commitment.

Overview

There were 222,914 people on the Register in 2023.

After an increase in the number of final stage registrants in 2018 and 2019, this took a downward turn in 2020. It has decreased by 2.4% since then.

8,539 people joined the Register in 2023, and 11,685 left it. 

• Compared with the previous year, there was a 6% reduction in the number of people leaving the Register in 2023, and a 9% increase in the number joining.
• Fewer people left the Register in 2023 than in any of the past four years.
• Between 2018 and 2023, each year on average 2,422 more people left the Register than joined it. 

The retention rate in 2023 was 95.6%.

This is the second-highest retention rate in the past six years. During this time it has consistently remained between 95% and 96%.

Age and gender

In 2023, nearly a third of registrants were aged 50-64, and more than a quarter were aged 65 or above. Overall, the proportion of younger registrants is increasing over time.

• The proportion of registrants aged between 30 and 49 is increasing year on year. It has increased from 34.7% in 2017 to 37.9% in 2023.
• The proportion of those aged between 50 and 64 is decreasing at a similar rate. It has decreased from 36.3% in 2017 to 33.2% in 2023.

While the vast majority of registrants in 2023 were men (92.2%) the proportion of women is increasing year-on year.

• The proportion of women on the Register has increased from 5.6% in 2017 to 7.7% in 2023.
• 1,097 women were added to the Register in 2023, representing 13.2% of all new registrants.
• The number of women added to the Register has ebbed and flowed over the past six years. However, the percentage of new registrants who are women has increased steadily. It has increased from 11.1% in 2017 to 13.2% in 2023.

The average age at which people join the Register is 33. The average age at which they leave is 59.

• Women tend to join the Register a few years earlier than men, at the average age of 31, as opposed to 34.
• The average age at which women leave the Register is 43, compared with 60 for men.

Titles

There were 225,785 titles recorded on the Register in 2023.

• This number is falling slightly year on year, following the same trajectory as the number of registrants.
• The number of Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Incorporated Engineer (IEng) titles have both reduced. The number of Engineering Technician (EngTech) and ICT Technician (ICTTech) titles are both increasing.
• Since 2019, the change in the number of titles has been as follows:
  • CEng: Fallen by 4% (184,221 to 177,370)
  • IEng: Fallen by 12% (27,135 to 23,863)
  • EngTech: Risen by 3% (23,037 to 23,680)
  • ICTTech: Risen by 57% (554 to 872)

While a large majority of titles are held in the UK, 25% were held outside the UK in 2023.

• This is an increase of 1% from the previous year.
• Of the titles held outside the UK, 56.1% are held in Asia, 15.8% in Oceania, 13.5% in Europe, 11.6% in Americas and 3.0% in Africa.