The future of the engineering industry is currently not looking too bright, with CEO of Engineers Australia, Peter Taylor, warning that Australia falls short of some 28,000 qualified engineers - a figure that's set to get worse.

According to Mr Taylor, the number of engineers for every $100 million of engineering, construction and building work halved - from 600 to 300 - in the five year period from 2001 to 2006.

He told the National Press Club today that "Australia, like many other developed countries, has taken its eye off the engineering ball."

The shortfall figure is predicted to get worse due to heightened activity in the resources sector, increased government spending on infrastructure projects and the effects of climate change putting more pressure on the already strained sector.

Mr Taylor believes the problems starts at school - fewer than 12% of Year 12 students study Advanced Mathematics; 66% do not study either Advanced or Intermediate Maths at all, and the same proportion goes to physics and chemistry - subjects which are all fundamental to a career in engineering.

"Radical action is needed to improve the science, engineering, technology and mathematical literacy of students if we are to increase the numbers of domestically-trained engineers," said Mr Taylor.

"If Governments continue to ignore the evidence, the current shortage of 28,000 engineers will more than double in the next ten years or so."

He said that the result will be that infrastructure programs promised by governments won't be delivered, Australia's desperate water situation will remain unaddressed, and engineering solutions to combat the effects of climate change will not be developed. "More importantly," stressed Mr Taylor, "Australia's economic development and our envied lifestyle will be jeopardised."