Women In Engineering

Less than 13% of UK engineers are women. We aim to promote more Women into Engineering, to improve the gender equality and to promote the variety of STEM careers to the next generation. We hope that our efforts will increase the gender equality in the industry.

Engineering has typically been perceived as a stereotypical ‘male’ role with connotations of engineering being hands on and practical, and involving fixing machines which meant that in the past, females weren’t considered suitable for engineering roles.

The engineering industry is continually evolving as the world we live in develops with the introduction of new medicines, inventions, technologies and mechanics. There is a lack of understanding of the vast range of roles in engineering – research, analytics, testing, programming, manufacturing to name a few with jobs to suit a variety of skills for both women and men.

In the UK less than 13% of engineers are female and more work needs to be done to achieve gender parity within the industry. Over recent years there has been evidence suggesting that both genders interacting together with differing mindsets and points of view generate better ideas and solve problems more efficiently. With organisations focused on improving gender parity in engineering, female engineers are in high demand.

The number of female engineers has risen over the years due to an increase in female engineering role models. By participating in social media campaigns, exhibitions and presentations at schools and colleges, greater awareness is being achieved by demonstrating the opportunities available in the engineering sector.

A few highlights of the events and campaigns we have been involved in are listed below. Please check these out in our ‘Our Campaign‘ page for further details.

  • Networking at conferences aimed at promoting women
  • Mentoring female students in undertaking a STEM degree as well as Sixth form students exploring the possibility of studying a degree in a STEM subject
  • Techwuman owner selected to be one of 20 women to be profiled in an exhibition for the Women’s Engineering Society’s Centenary celebration
  • Guest blogger for Ivanti for International Women in Engineering Day 2019
  • Participation in IET’s first ever social media campaign on diversity in the industry in 2019.
  • Participation in WES’s 2019 social media campaign for the Lottie Doll Project

Got any questions? We can advise and mentor females who are considering a university degree in a STEM subject or want to pursue a career in engineering. Contact us now using the contact form!

Below are some key facts and figures relating to Women in Engineering:

  • Engineering is important to the UK: it contributes 26% of our GDP or £127 billion to our economy. (Skills and Demand in Industry 2015, IET)
  • Enabling women to meet their full potential in work could add as much as $28 trillion to annual GDP in 2025. (McKinsey Global Institute The power of parity, McKinsey & Co, Sept 2015).
  • The UK has the lowest percentage of female engineering professionals in Europe, at less than 10%, while Latvia, Bulgaria and Cyprus lead with nearly 30%.
  • Companies are 15% more likely to perform better if they are gender diverse.
  • Less than 13% of the UK engineering workforce is female

Statistics taken from the Women’s Engineering Society website. Click here to read more.

Follow our social media to stay up to date with our mission to improve the number of women going into the engineering industry!

Female STEM Role Models

"Science is not a boy’s game, it’s not a girl’s game. It’s everyone’s game."

-- Nichelle Nichols, Former NASA Ambassador

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