Over the last couple of decades, the engineering industry has undergone some extraordinary changes. Despite significant technological advancements such as the use of Digital Twin technology and the rise of data analytics, one thing that has remained consistent throughout – is the art of problem solving. Engineers are a unique part of the modern workforce that are skilled in finding the right solutions to highly complex problems.
However, for an industry where every complex challenge is met with an equally complex solution, ensuring equal representation of women remains a significant challenge. Men have traditionally outnumbered Women when it comes to the engineering profession and despite the key steps being taken to level the gender imbalance, we still have a long way to go to really close the gap.
Has gender inequality become the engineering industry’s greatest problem? And how do we solve this conundrum?
Retention struggles for women engineers
While much progress regarding gender inequality has been made in various industries, the representation of women in engineering is still notably low. The sector has long been known for being one of the most male-dominated fields – a reputation it has since struggled to shake off.
A recent report from EngineeringUK, revealed that the percentage of women working in the engineering and technology professions dropped from 16.5% (2022) to 15.7% (2023), despite the many efforts dedicated to encouraging more women to enter the engineering industry. This figure is a stark contrast to other occupations where women make up more than half of the workforce (56.1%). What’s more, this drop in the workforce retention rates will do very little to persuade women in higher education to pursue careers within engineering. Especially when there is already a heavy gender imbalance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects at higher education, with women only making up 21% of students enrolled in engineering and technology courses on average.
As an industry, more needs to be done to attract and retain female talent but this can only be achieved by establishing the root cause of the issue and addressing it directly.
Gender disparity – the problem at hand
The gender gap in engineering is a multifaceted issue rooted in many different factors including longstanding societal norms, educational barriers, and industry-specific challenges. Each of these factors alone are especially debilitating, but when brought together, can create the perfect storm for hindering the fair contribution and advancement of women in the engineering field. Looking more closely at each of these factors and understanding their mechanisms of existence is key for developing effective strategies to create a more inclusive and diverse engineering landscape for women and other minority groups.
Firstly, engineering has historically been a very male-dominated profession which as a result, has fostered a gender stereotype that often discourages young women from pursuing STEM subjects and careers. This issue has also been further compounded by the lack of female role models within engineering, making it difficult for women to envision a career and future in the industry.
Another consideration is the lack of awareness and wider promotion of the profession, along with routes to entry for the industry. The promotion and awareness of engineering programs and employment schemes at schools, higher education, and in the workplace highlighting the diverse roles and opportunities available for women are often hard to come by. This has pushed the prospect of a career in engineering further away from the minds of many women.
For those women who have already entered the engineering job market, navigating it successfully can be especially difficult without the right processes, initiatives, and support systems in place to ensure they thrive and grow in their job roles and careers. As a result, many companies are potentially failing to retain the best and brightest female minds.
In order to make engineering a more welcoming and attractive choice for women, organisations need to ensure they have an organisational culture that supports and retains them to have any chance at unlocking the plethora of hidden talents that the industry has long missed out on.
Nurturing diversity through dedicated initiatives and support programmes
Addressing this gender gap is not just a matter of equity; it also brings substantial benefits to the industry by bringing diverse perspectives and new ways of thinking and working. It’s imperative for our clients that our solutions are fit for the whole of society, as a result its essential that those individuals developing the solutions are representative of the communities in which we work. It is important that organisations looking to tackle the issue of gender disparity in engineering, have the right mix of initiatives in place to foster a culture of acceptance and inclusivity.
At Amey, we have a host of dedicated initiatives and programmes that are aimed at not only promoting gender equality but all forms of equality to ensure that all our colleagues feel welcome, supported, and can bring their true selves to work, each and every day. This includes our progressive people practices and policies, which includes the introduction of Women’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sanitary products in different Amey sites as well as a range of company polices developed by our employee affinity groups to support those affected by domestic abuse, menopause, and fertility issues.
The introduction of Women’s PPE in a particular is one of the key initiatives implemented that has had a significant impact. One often-overlooked challenge faced by women in engineering is the lack of well-fitting PPE. Hollie Taylor, a Geo Environmental Engineer, encountered significant difficulties obtaining PPE that suited her needs on the job. She realised that this sadly wasn’t an issue that was unique to her as many female colleagues have faced similar issues.
Hollie firmly believes that PPE should be tailored to staff and not the other way around, and as a result, she took the initiative to address this issue. By creating a platform to support her female colleagues and raise awareness about PPE fit, Hollie has fostered a more inclusive environment that put the needs of workers first, ensuring that women feel heard and valued. This effort was a vital step towards closing the gender gap and driving inclusivity within the engineering industry.
Our dedicated Affinity network groups, have been created to foster a culture of acceptance and belonging through organising events, learning sessions, and workshops in promoting diversity and making sure our company policies are fair for all.nThese networks each have a specific focus including disability, multiculturalism, neurodiversity, parents and carers, LGBTQIA+, Women at Amey, and the military and come together to form our Unity group, representing everyone at Amey.
As a proud organisation with many women engineers, we have a strong commitment to support and nurture their talents and growth at the company. As such, Amey further demonstrated its active allyship by launching a dedicated Women@Amey Leadership Development Programme, designed to provide female colleagues with the right tools and confidence to progress their careers and advance more women into leadership positions within the organisation. Over 70% of those who have participated in the programme to date have secured a progression move. Amey’s Progression Framework is an initiative dedicated to ensuring everyone within the engineering community understands how to progress their career and can take ownership for it by applying for a move when they are ready through a transparent and consistent process.
However, that’s not all, Amey’s reputation for professional excellence is further evidenced by our dedication to early careers programmes including apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and ongoing support for colleagues undertaking charterships. An example of this includes our partnership with The Royal Academy of engineering, where we work with the organisation through its Graduate Engineering Engagement Programme (GEEP). As part of our ongoing involvement with The GEEP programme, we provide our graduates with valuable insights into engineering, employability skills, and provide them with networking opportunities.
A crucial step in addressing gender disparity is for organisations to join and support pioneering industry initiatives that strive to increase diversity and inclusivity. Our Challenge Cup initiative is a strong example of our efforts in addressing this. The initiative was designed to inspire schoolgirls to break the status quo and consider career opportunities in STEM.
However, a key part of fostering a truly inclusive and supportive work environment is to also open the doors for people of varying backgrounds, abilities, and skill levels, and therefore removing all barriers to entering the engineering industry. Over the past 18 months, 30% of our hires have been female, an achievement not to be underestimated when the external landscape reports are indicating declining numbers of females in the profession as a whole.
Amey’s ReStart programme is an initiative launched to support qualified, skilled, and experienced STEM professionals looking to re-enter the workplace. This 12-week placement enables individuals to restart their careers or transfer their existing skills into the engineering sector, with the aim to become a permanent employee at the end of the programme. And for those at the start of their career Amey has partnered with the 10,000 Interns programme and the Royal Academy of Engineers in an effort to foster diversity and provide valuable opportunities for aspiring engineering professionals through summer internship roles.
It is clear that the engineering industry still needs to work on its reputation as a male-dominated industry. Properly addressing the gender gap is a strategic necessity. Through adopting and championing meaningful initiatives that promote inclusivity and diversity, companies can attract and retain the best female talent, and create a future where the engineering profession reflects the diversity and excellence it has long been striving for.