For a company like DAC Industrial, which develops its own solutions and products, one of the key professional profiles is that of the engineer. Without qualified personnel, it would be impossible to design fully customized and efficient mechanisms, adapted to the real needs of our customers. The ability to innovate, optimize processes and guarantee the technical reliability of projects depends, to a large extent, on the talent of this professional.
For this reason, we would like to share the conclusions of the III Report on the Analysis of University Engineering Studies, presented by INGITE at the beginning of the year, which paints a worrying picture for the future of the profession and, in turn, for the entire Spanish industrial fabric.
The strategic role of engineering
INGITE is the body that brings together the professional associations of the ten branches of engineering in Spain and represents more than 350,000 professionals. Its aim is to promote engineering as a fundamental tool for tackling social, economic and industrial challenges.
From this perspective, the report highlights a profound mismatch between the academic offer and the real needs of the labor market, with direct implications for strategic sectors such as industry.
A drastic decline in engineering vocations
One of the most striking findings of the study is the sustained loss of interest in engineering studies. The number of students enrolled has fallen by 33 % since the 2002-2003 academic year. Whereas in 2002 engineering accounted for 24 % of university enrollments, in the 2024-2025 academic year this figure stands at 16.98 %.
This decline jeopardizes generational succession at a time when industry needs more technical profiles than ever.
Few graduates to meet the challenges of the future
The situation is even more critical if we look at the number of graduates. Only 7.54 % of all university graduates have an engineering degree. In 2006, this proportion was close to 20 %.
According to INGITE, this volume is clearly insufficient to meet the challenges of energy transition, digitalization and industrial transformation, processes that require a high level of technical competence.
A very high dropout rate
In addition to the lack of vocations, there is another worrying factor: around 50 % of students who start an engineering degree do not complete it.
This dropout rate further aggravates the shortage of qualified professionals and highlights the need to review both academic approaches and the orientation of studies.
The explosion of non-qualifying degrees
Currently, 53% of undergraduate engineering degrees do not allow the practice of the regulated profession. In the last decade, this type of degree has grown by 59.4 %.
This means that many graduates cannot assume professional responsibilities, such as approving projects or supervising construction work, without completing additional training.
This pattern has direct consequences for people:
- There are more than 200 000 people affected -between graduates and students- who have completed non-enabling degrees.
- Many are forced to invest more time and financial resources in enabling master's degrees in order to be able to practice fully, which delays their entry into the labor market.
According to INGITE, this situation generates frustration and discourages new vocations.
The positive aspect: greater female presence
The report also includes some positive indicators:
- The presence of women in engineering studies has increased by 36.6 % in the last ten years.
- They now represent 23% of the student body.
- They also have a higher graduation rate (46.9 %) than men (39.4 %).
Nevertheless, significant regional imbalances persist. While some communities are increasing enrollments -often driven by non-accredited degrees- others with a long industrial tradition, such as Asturias, Castilla y León or Extremadura, are seeing enrollments in accredited degrees fall significantly.
A structural solution: an Engineering Law
As a strategic conclusion, INGITE calls for the urgent need for an Engineering Law that:
- Unifies the professional framework.
- Protect the name of engineering by demanding compliance with European standards.
- Eliminate the current confusion between academic qualifications and professional attributions.
According to the organization, this is an essential condition to guarantee the future of the profession and ensure that the industry has the necessary technical talent.
At DAC Industrial, we share this concern. The development of our own efficient and sustainable industrial solutions is only possible with personnel who have the appropriate training, aligned with the real needs of the sector.
We believe that strengthening the link between the company, training and industrial reality is key to ensure a competitive future.
