Research from the Engineering Council in London challenges the claim that engineering contributes only 8 percent to the UK's gross domestic product. The report, "Engineers for Britain: The State of the Profession Towards 2000," also examines the quantitative and perceived qualitative decline of engineering students.

The report echoes a September 1999 study from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research in London, which found an 18 percent decline in engineers over the decade and a lack of practical skills in nearly one-third of new recruits. The study faults higher expectations of engineering graduates and a reluctance by employers to train during economic downturns.