It may not be a new message but it is one of ever-growing importance - scientists and engineers are vital to our economy and society. Their knowledge and skills are in high demand across a range of sectors, from manufacturing to financial services and everything in between.

I wanted a job which combined the hands on element of working with vehicles and electronics and an active lifestyle where I can get out and about, play sport, and stay fit and active. When I was looking around for these types of jobs there were not that many so when I saw the advert for Army apprenticeships.

Being selected to work on the team was intense - CVs, interviews and technical assessments - but well worth the effort to be a part of history. My branch of the Army (REME) are experts in repairing and maintaining all of the Army's kit, and I do mean all of it - tanks to trucks; pistols to Apache helicopters!

If Britain is to rebuild and sustain a vibrant engineering industry, we must wake up to global reality. We must act, and rapidly. Figures show that India and China far outstrip us in producing talent in this sector - but I first heard these kinds of statistics ten years ago.

They dash about and their proposed 'media friendly' use is to find people after natural disasters, yet I'm sure its not too long until someone puts a gun on one, perhaps in time for 'Zero Dark Thirty 2'. Enough yapping, here they are.

I am not one to put faith in gender stereotypes, but with careers such as nursing, biological research and social work drawing a much higher proportion of females, I am lead to question whether the perception of engineering as a "heavy" industry, almost sterile of human interaction is putting women off.

New figures from a leading recruitment consultancy show how events in the wider economy are affecting employment in different sectors. Although une...