Abstract This study examines the factors that influenced first-year students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cape Town to follow a career in mechanical engineering. The data were collected over two years from first year students during the first week of each academic year as part of a questionnaire that asked various questions relating to the students' choice of what and where to study. A qualitative analysis of the responses resulted in ten categories of influence being developed: “exposure to engineering career”, “school subjects”, “socialisers”, “if not, then…”, “specific career plan”, “career rewards”, “flexibility and challenge”, “physical activities”, “intellectual activities” and “social identity”. These were subsequently grouped into four macro-categories: “societal influences”, “personal career vision”, “product related activities” and “social/civic responsibility”. A quantitative analysis showed significant differences between the responses on the basis of race and gender. The results of this study show that different factors influence particular groups of learners during their career choice process. Focused interventions around these factors can serve to encourage more learners to follow a career in mechanical engineering.
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