Engineering Empowerment: the need for more diversity in the field

Engineering is the backbone of our society in many ways, from ensuring the safety of our infrastructure to developing the technology that underpins our everyday lives.

Whilst engineers of all kinds should be championed – and indeed this is a key remit of The Engineer - perhaps the most unsung of this workforce are those in the minority of it, namely women engineers.

Last year, women made up just 16.5 per cent of the engineering workforce, according to an Engineering UK research report. Though this does not take away from the work nor brilliance of these female engineers, the disparity in the sector undoubtedly creates an extra barrier for them: striving to prove themselves in an industry in which they are so heavily outnumbered.  

The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) has been a champion for the sector’s female cohort since its creation in 1919, aiming to promote the avenue of engineering to women and provide them with a space to share their ideas and passions for science and technology.