In the great debates about growth missions, industrial strategies and long-term economic plans, one sector is quietly delivering the growth outcomes the government is so eager to achieve. That sector is engineering consultancy, says Kate Jennings, CEO of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering 

Engineering consultancy may not shout about itself like AI, fintech or biotech - and it’s not the flashiest part of the economy. But its contribution is nothing short of critical.

With £39.5bn added to UK GDP, 470,000 high-skilled jobs and more than £11bn in global exports in 2023 alone, engineering consultancy isn’t just a quiet success story, it’s a foundation of national prosperity hiding in plain sight. 

At a time when ministers are rightly focused on productivity, infrastructure, energy resilience and regional growth, engineering consultancy is one of the few sectors already delivering across all these fronts. Whether designing the UK’s next-generation energy grid, enabling clean transport infrastructure, modernising hospitals or advising on resilient water systems, these firms turn policy ambitions into tangible outcomes.  

Crucially, this isn’t just advisory work. Engineering consultants are designers, architects, project managers, systems thinkers and strategic partners. They work across the full lifecycle of infrastructure and innovation projects, from concept and feasibility to delivery, operation, and optimisation. Their work is measurable, scalable, and borderless. 

Often overlooked in the story of what sectors are important in Britain, this sector is anything but small. With a workforce equivalent in size to the population of Bristol - 470,000 people - it represents a deep pool of talent and skills.

Its £75bn in annual revenue makes it a powerhouse. More impressively, it contributes £8.4bn in taxes each year, enough to fund the salaries of over 200,000 nurses. 

And it's a high-productivity sector too. The average salary in engineering consultancy stands at £44,420, well above the UK average of £37,430. This is precisely the kind of wage premium policymakers hope to achieve by “upskilling Britain”. In this sector, the upskilling has already happened, and the results are plain to see. 

The government’s Industrial Strategy and refreshed Growth Mission identify key priorities: clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, health resilience, and regional development. Engineering consultancy is uniquely positioned as a cross-cutting enabler across all these domains. As the fourth largest sector in the Industrial Strategy, a subsidiary of professional services, ahead of information services, film, TV and music production, as well as pharmaceutical manufacture, it a significant sector.  

The sector’s reach extends far beyond spreadsheets and boardrooms. Its fingerprints are on schools, hospitals, flood defences, urban regeneration, smart cities and even major defence programmes. Whether it’s nuclear power in the North-west, mass transit transport corridors in the Midlands, or life sciences hubs in the South-east, this is a sector driving activity across the entire UK. It is the workhouse of the British economy and is building its future.  

It is also a powerful export engine. In 2023, global exports of engineering consultancy services topped £11bn, a clear signal of international demand for British expertise. In sectors where trust, precision, and innovation matter, the UK remains a trusted partner. That success must be nurtured, not taken for granted. 

Despite its scale, productivity and strategic relevance, building infrastructure at scale remains a challenge. These issues are systemic: planning, strategy and long-term certainty are anchors on the sector that are stopping it from running at maximum speed. To unleash the full potential of the sector these must be addressed.  

First, government procurement must become smarter and more joined up. Too often, engineering expertise are brought in late, under-scoped, or not in the room at the outset of public sector projects. Strategic use of their skills from the outset undoubtedly unlocks better outcomes, lower lifetime costs, and faster delivery. 

Second, long-term planning certainty matters. The sector thrives when there is clarity around infrastructure pipelines, investment frameworks, and policy priorities. That stability allows firms to invest in talent, R&D and innovation capacity, ultimately multiplying their contribution to the economy.  

The government’s 10-year Infrastructure Strategy gets this right. However, when thinking of mega projects and the major infrastructure projects Britain needs, 10 years is not a long time – certainly not in the grand scheme of things. Britain needs to build on this momentum and think more long term, eventually to what it wants Britain to look like in 2050. 

Finally, engineering consultancy must be seen not just as a support service, but as a strategic delivery partner in the UK’s economic transformation. Whether on energy resilience, supply chains, decarbonised transport, or digital infrastructure, this sector can, and very often does, turn vision into value. 

In an era defined by rapid geostrategic change, climate change, population growth, increasing urbanisation, the UK needs delivery partners who can navigate systems, balance trade-offs, and build lasting solutions.  

Engineering consultants are those partners.  

If Britain is serious at becoming a global science superpower, leading the clean energy transition, and creating a more productive economy, it must recognise that strategies alone are not enough. Delivery matters.  

Watch the video below to explore the latest trends and breakthroughs shaping our sector — The Engineering Consultancy Sector: The Facts.