International Women's Day Engineering - An Industry for Everyone
"Seeing more women within the industry motivates me to inspire girls considering engineering degrees. You can’t be what you can’t see."
As today marks International Women’s Day, this article covers why the engineering industry is for everyone. Personality, enthusiasm, vision and drive is desired, not a specific ethnicity, nationality or gender.
Regardless of the industry you wish to join, you need the desire to join it in the first place. Engineer a Career believes that those in the engineering industry have a responsibility to encourage and promote the careers and opportunities within it. Why? After all it's our industry. Ideas, people and demand make an industry, without the enthusiasm to grow and promote there is always the risk that people will look at other professions.
"Three years post-graduation from the University of Strathclyde with a Masters in Aero-Mechanical Engineering, and I’m prouding navigating the challenges as a female engineer in a male dominated industry. Every obstacle is an opportunity, and I embrace the chance to excel in this dynamic environment. Here’s to breaking barriers and celebrating the strength of women in engineering."
Engineering is an industry where skillset, enthusiasm and personality sit at its core. As an engineer, there are endless opportunities to use your skills to problem solve. From projects supporting climate change, to the design and manufacture of the latest ground breaking medical devices, engineers confront all of the world’s biggest challenges.
When it comes to making your career choice, a number of people don’t think twice. In many instances people are influenced by family members and decide to follow the same career path. If this is your situation, fantastic! On the other hand, others aren’t exposed to the different career options or have the awareness of specific jobs. This coupled with the process of picking school subjects from such a young age, followed by college or university applications taking place at the age of 16, before you know it the time has passed. Therefore, industries play an important role in advertising the career options, routes, opportunities and its attractions from a young age.
Companies promoting and talking about the opportunities and career paths available within engineering is one of the main reasons why there has been a 6% increase in female engineers since 2010, taking the percentage of female engineers in the UK to 16.5% in 2021. Organisations like WES (Women’s Engineering Society), in particular their “She’s an Engineer” campaign, are set up to help women with their career choices. A number of profiles of women who have thriving careers in Safety, Transport, Software, Manufacturing, Law, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Defence, Education, Energy and Entertainment can be found at www.wes.org.uk. Another great resource to help you appreciate the career options and success stories of women in engineering is WES Inventors and Innovators : Top 50 Women in Engineering Annual Report. This showcases the Top 50 Women in Engineering on an annual basis. With so many amazing success stories, this is an excellent resource to share with school pupils and students, and could be the catalyst and driver behind increasing the number of women in the engineering industry.
“Being a female in engineering you can’t help but notice that your narrative is different from the majority. However, successful engineering is achieved through teamwork, while the best discussions, decisions and outcomes come from a diverse range of voices. Let’s battle the odds and continue to show up for not just our younger self but for all females.”
Why we need you.
Engineering by its very nature needs a diverse range of people, as this leads to innovation and creativity. Unique perspectives, beliefs, theories and approaches to problem solving is critical as engineering plays a key part in tomorrow's world.
The role of an engineer is not only confined to desk based analysis or the problem solving skills associated with mathematics. Many engineering roles require the vision of an arts and craft student, the business administration knowledge taught in business management classes or the design precision taught in graphic communication. Engineers must work alongside teams of engineers from other disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, IT etc. to collaborate and devise solutions, agreeing to disagree for the common good of the project. None of these roles are gender specific, each relate to subjects taught in secondary subjects.
So if Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Graphic Communication, Art & Design or Computing interests you, come and join an industry which wants you and needs you not for your gender, but for your skills, knowledge, drive and enthusiasm.
“Thirty years since earning my degree in Manufacturing Engineering as one of only two women in my class, my career has unfolded in environments where I've often been in the minority. However, it has been enriched by the support of remarkable women and male allies. Now, as a Vice President within a global business consultancy, I understand the importance of serving as a strong role model for women.”