H—39

(1) SURVEY CONDUCTED 67. To obtain information on supply and demand a questionnaire was forwarded to present and likely future employers of professional engineers. The groups approached are set out below :

Table A. —Distribution of Questionnaire

68. In all some 994 questionnaires were distributed and 582 replies were received. These gave a total of professional engineers, excluding mining engineers, of 1,080, as. compared with 968 in the 1936 census and 1,050 in the 1945 census. The 1945 census figures excluded personnel serving overseas with the Forces. 69. A review of the list of employers who rendered no return satisfied the Committee that the number of engineers likely to be employed by these employers was very small, probably not more than 70 professional engineers or approximately 6 per cent, of the total number employed. The conclusions reached as a result of the survey are therefore considered sound. The estimated total number of engineers at present employed has. been fixed at 1,150. The following information was sought from employers : (1) The number of professional engineers employed at present. (2) The present number of vacancies for professional engineers. (3) The probable number of professional engineers who will be employed in five years' time, if men with the necessary qualifications are available. (4) The number of replacements of professional engineers in 1947. (5) The number of professional engineers employed in 1928, 1933, 1938, and 1943.. 70. Employers were at the same time asked to classify their professional engineersaccording to the branch of engineering (civil, electrical, mechanical, or other branches), and according to their qualifications (graduates in engineering, men with A.M.I.X.E.f but not degrees, and others). They were invited, too, to make any general comments on the employment of professional engineers which might be helpful to the committee in its investigation.

t A.M.I.X.E. means A.M.1.C.E., A.M.1.E.E., or A.M.I.Mech.E.

20

Addressee. Number Sent. Number Returned. 1 Government Departments 23 20 Local Bodies — City and Borough Councils, &c. 137 115 County Councils and Road Districts 136 113 Town Boards 29 12 River and Drainage Boards 71 33 Catchment Boards .. .. .. .. 11 10 Power Boards 45 39 Harbour Boards 49 24 Hospital Boards 45 24 Educational Institutions 40 24 586 414 Consultants 84 38 Private firms 324 130 994 582