The UKRC, previously the government’s lead organisation for supporting women in science and engineering, has lost funding. It is not clear what the government will do instead to support this important agenda.
‘Too few women enter the engineering profession’, said Dr Tony Whitehead, director of Governance and Policy at the IET. ‘Our most recent skills survey found that only five per cent of engineers and four per cent of engineering technicians currently working in industry are women.
‘The lack of women in engineering is a significant problem, contributing to skills shortages that damage the economy. It also means that women are missing out on interesting and rewarding career opportunities.
‘The IET invests a great deal of time and resources into attracting more women into engineering, but addressing this issue also requires support from industry and government. It is a serious concern if the government does not continue to provide effective support.’
According to the IET, the Royal Academy of Engineering will manage a new Diversity in Engineering Programme, which is likely to receive £200,000 of funding. This is less than 10 per cent of the £2.5m annual funding previously given to the UKRC.
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