The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) said jobs created by fracking, a form of gas extraction, included chemical, mechanical, civil and structural engineers, operations staff and geologists.

BBC: Fracking could create 'thousands' of engineering jobs

The report also found that communication majors had a lower unemployment rate than mechanical engineers and computer science majors.

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On 15 May this year, I waited with other passengers for over six hours to board as engineers addressed a mechanical problem on one of its planes.

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But Dr Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, warned of a potential shortage of skilled engineers needed to build the plant.

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Theoretically, mechanical coolers could have given Herschel more life, but engineers considered such a design to be too risky.

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