Lots of well paid jobs awaited graduates with primary degrees in engineering in 1998. A massive 78 per cent of engineering graduates went directly into jobs, reflecting the skills shortages in these areas. Only 14 per cent went on to further study with 3.1 per cent seeking employment.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of engineers - 74 per cent - found their first job in manufacturing and other non-service industries with 19.4 per cent working in private services and 5.4 per cent in the public service.

Almost two-thirds of all graduates with a primary degree in engineering were earning in excess of £15,000. In all, 16 per cent were earning more than £19,000 and 0.5 per cent were earning less than £5,000.