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Today (June 23rd) marks National Women in Engineering Day an event dedicated to ‘raising the profile and celebrating the achievements of women in engineering’.

With female engineers making up just 7% of the UK engineering workforce, the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) has chosen this event as the perfect time to launch their new campaign.

The campaign from the professional society for the engineering and technology community urges employers the length and breadth of the country to revisit their approach to the recruitment and retention of female engineers.

IET Deputy President Naomi Climer said: “Improved gender diversity would lead to more innovation, as well as a more harmonious and collaborative working environment.”

Nick Baveystock, Director General of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) added: “This is not about arbitrary fixing of targets to reflect societal balance – it is about understanding that men and women bring different perspectives to engineering solutions.”

National Women in Engineering Day – focusing attention on the ‘great opportunities for women in engineering’

Established by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) to celebrate its 95th anniversary, the focus for this year’s National Women in Engineering Day is to help highlight the multitude of careers available in the sector to women. This is with aim of addressing the gender imbalance in the sector as well as helping to avert potential skills shortage.

‘By encouraging girls into engineering careers we will not only be increasing diversity and inclusion – a business imperative – but enabling us to fill the substantial future job opportunities that have been predicted in this sector.

‘The idea behind National Women in Engineering Day is to encourage all groups (Governmental, educational, corporate, Professional Engineering Institutions, individuals and other organisations) to organise their own events in support of the day, and link them together for maximum impact through the use of the NWED logo, corresponding website, and supporting resources,’ the WES says on its website.

STEM courses attracting more female than male students for first time

Encouraging figures released earlier this year by Cambridge Occuptational Analysists (COA) revealed that STEM courses attracting more female than male students for first time.

Since 2007, female interest in civil engineering is up by 10%, general engineering by 16%, combined sciences by 19%, mechanical engineering by 18% and electrical engineering by 27%.

 

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