' Survey Shows Engineers Held in High Esteem '

Survey shows engineers held in high esteem

In a Harris Interactive® survey conducted on behalf of the American

Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) with a grant from the United

Engineering Foundation, engineering receives a higher rating from adults,

whether or not they were parents, as a career choice for their children than

either accounting or the ministry.

When asked to use a scale of one through 10 to represent extremely

displeased to extremely pleased if their child were to enter a particular

profession, both accounting and the ministry receive high marks, with

accounting receiving an overall rating of eight and the ministry a seven.

Engineering and science, on the other hand, both receive nine.

Ratings for engineering as a profession are consistent across all groups,

regardless of respondents' familiarity with or interest level in

engineering, gender, age, or level of education. When asked to explain why

they'd be pleased if their child went into engineering, to "make a positive

contribution to society" is cited as often as to "earn a good salary." Other

reasons given include the ability to do "interesting work" and the

profession's prestige.

The survey reveals slight differences for why adults would be pleased

depending on the child's gender. When discussing sons, 31 percent appreciate

the ability to earn a good salary and 29 percent like that they can make a

positive societal contribution. By contrast, 25 percent pick positive

contributions to society as the prime reason they would be pleased if their

daughters chose engineering, followed closely by good salary at 24 percent.

Perhaps another contributing factor is the high esteem with which the

engineering profession is held among Americans.

According to the survey, more than three out of four respondents, 77

percent, say engineers are largely responsible for a high standard of

living. As compared to scientists, engineers are thought to create strong

economic growth (69% vs. 25%), preserve national security (59% vs. 29%) and

make strong leaders (56% vs. 32%).

Despite the positive views, and the fact that the survey finds that, on

average, Americans are personally acquainted with six engineers, just

one-third (33%) of those polled feel very or fairly well informed about

engineers and engineering and only slightly more, four out of ten (40%), are

interested in learning about engineers and engineering.

Still, 95 percent agree that engineers use old and new knowledge to solve

practical problems and are involved in diverse fields and occupations. The

vast majority recognizes the contributions of engineers to almost all

aspects of life. When asked about engineers' level of involvement in

transportation, for example, 98 percent of respondents acknowledge the

contribution of engineers in building automobiles, airplanes, highways,

bridges and tunnels. Ninety-five percent believe engineers are involved with

spacecraft, electronics, and air conditioning and refrigeration.

When asked to describe what first comes to mind when they hear the word

"engineer," respondents say an engineer "builds/constructs/makes (38%),"

"designs/draws/plans (19%)" and does "mechanic/mechanical work (9%)."

Henry J. Hatch, P.E., Chair of the AAES Committee on the Public Awareness of

Engineering (COPAE), notes that the positive public perception of engineers

accurately reflects the important role the profession plays in all levels of

society. "Engineering touches every part of our lives in a wide variety of

ways," said Hatch. "These survey results are a strong indication that the

vast majority of people support our work and our goals and offer a powerful

endorsement of the profession."

The survey found that the most common source of information about engineers

is from television news, cable and local. Those better informed and having a

higher interest in the profession are more likely than those who are not to

get that information through the Internet. The Internet is a more common

news source for those who are informed about engineers (24% vs. 10% who are

not informed), interested in engineering (21% vs. 9% who are not interested)

and who know at least one engineer (17% vs. 3% for those who do not know any

engineers).

Survey Methodology

Harris Interactive conducted telephone interviews among a nationally

representative sample of 1,000 adults, aged 18 and older. Interviewing was

conducted between December 1 and 14, 2003. Figures were weighted for age,

sex, education, race and ethnicity, region, household size and number of

telephone lines in the household. In theory, with a probability sample of

this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a

statistical precision of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they

would be if the entire U.S. population had been polled with complete

accuracy.

About Harris Interactive®

Harris Interactive (www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market

research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll®, and for

pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market

research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive

combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in

predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts

international research through wholly owned subsidiaries--London-based HI

Europe (www.hieurope.com) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan--as well

as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market- and

opinion-research firms, and various U.S. offices.

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The complete AAES/Harris Interactive Survey is available at

http://www.aaes.org/harris_2004_files/frame.htm

Chris Mc Manes : e-mail - c.mcmanes@ieee.org