Overview
A technical report detailing EngineeringUK’s change in methodology when using the Office of National Statistics’ (ONS) Labour Force Survey (LFS) from 2024. Ongoing issues within the LFS (such as falling response numbers) has impacted how the LFS has been weighted in recent years. We therefore moved to looking at quarterly data separately and not combining across selected waves (1 and 5) and re-weighting to get an annual dataset.
This technical report can be read alongside our engineering and technology workforce updates. It provides researchers with a more in-depth understanding of how this research has been conducted, and why this change has been implemented.
Labour force survey changes and its impact on the engineering footprint methodology – a technical report
Publication date
- May 2024
Who this is for
- Researchers
Key findings
- Looking at the 2023 LFS dataset, EngineeringUK’s research team noticed greater variability in response rates across waves and a much lower overall response rate
- We also identified discrepancies between overall sample findings and that of individual quarters
- To make sure we provide reliable and high-quality data on the engineering and technology workforce, EngineeringUK has adjusted its methodology when using this dataset
- Subsequently we have moved to looking at quarterly data separately and not combining across selected waves and reweighting to get an annual dataset
