Not in all sectors of engineering. It is recognised as being an area of growth and we need more people.
When you hear the term “engineer” many people have no idea what level of qualification that actually means. We use it for the person who comes and fixes the dishwasher. Therefore an understanding of engineering is required before comparing apprenticeships with MEng courses. The huge difference is whether you can get Chartered or not with the former and how long it will take you. Will you ever get Chartered or is that not the expectation of an apprenticeship? Are they really training technicians?
To give you an example, DH was Chartered at 24. (MICE) That’s just about impossible now. Three years later, he was a Chartered Structural Engineer. He was a partner is his own business at 26. They now have several offices and around 120 staff. His hobbies as a young person (so he tells me) was taking things apart, putting them back together, rebuilding machines with his Dad (it’s s bit sad but lawn mowers were beloved of his dad). He made umpteen airfix models. He had architecture lessons at school which led to an interest in structures. They also took their 6th form students to have lectures by Heinz Wolf at Brunel University. He fixed cars and motorbikes - you get the picture. This really means you have an engineering brain! He did Civils and Structures at university. He’s not an academic. He doesn’t need to be. Few DC do much practical Engineering now (or ”furtling” as we call it) but there have been some amazing young engineers on Robot Wars. DHs school won the Times Young Engineers competition back in the day. It possibly didn’t matter where he went to university. I think he is a born engineer. A levels alone really don’t make a great engineer. Like every profession, there has to be that extra spark.
As someone in his 60s now and a Fellow of three Engineering institutions, he feels there are fewer born engineers around. They have great A levels but not an enquiring mind. I think it’s fair to say that some forms of engineering will always be in demand. You cannot design and build anything without a physical presence somewhere, AI won’t do everything - it won’t build crossrail or HS2 for example.
One of the big issues facing some engineers is that they rely too heavily on computer programs without having the expertise to know when something is wrong with the design. That’s where an engineering brain comes into play. You also need to get on with people and explain what you are doing and why. You need to work quickly and accurately or no company can make money out of you or pay you well!!! The money is there for the taking if you are good enough.
There is no point going on about Imperial vs anywhere else if you are not really an engineer at heart. If you want general engineering, the choices are reduced, as with aerospace and automotive and chemical. Many engineers find their interest at some point. I have been with DH for over 40 years so I do have a complete understanding of his disciplines but less of others in this huge subject.