Women have made extraordinary contributions to engineering over the past century, and yet they are relatively poorly represented in the engineering profession. A new policy statement from the Institution looks at how Government, schools and employers can redress this balance. We also consider prestigious awards for women in engineering which are rewarding excellence.
Institution’s Education Policy Statement: Gender in Engineering
The UK Government actively encourages working populations to reflect the prevailing diversity of the country’s population. Legislation exists for each of the equality strands of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion/belief and age. However, despite this, minority groups and women are relatively poorly represented in the engineering profession.
The contribution of women to engineering is not a new topic for discussion: the Women’s Engineering Society was established in 1919. There are, of course, many different perspectives on the subject. Perhaps the most commonly cited reasons for why there should be more equal representation between men and women in engineering are: human rights and natural justice; to help engineering better reflect the needs and interests of both sexes; and to provide a greater talent pool.
The Institution has identified some of the barriers to the participation of women in engineering, including the way that sciences are taught at school, college or university, and the dominant practice in the engineering profession. To overcome these barriers, the Institution offers the following recommendations:
The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) should:
- Review science curricula (particularly physics) at GCSE and at A Level to ensure they better reflect the interests of both boys and girls
- Promote the potential of the 14–19 Engineering Diploma to appeal as much to girls as to boys
- Support new inclusive approaches to teaching; engineering employers involved in the Engineering Diploma should ensure they provide opportunities that appeal to both boys and girls
Schools should:
- Ensure that teaching of science and engineering subjects includes positive references to the subjects in a human context as well as in the technological context
Engineering employers should:
- Prioritise the release of female engineers to support engineering engagement and enrichment schemes so that both boys and girls see female engineers as positive role models
- Actively pursue greater flexibility in employment practice, particularly in the provision of career breaks and associated systems to facilitate re-entry to work through, for example, re-entry training
- Be seen to be (as well as actually being) attractive to and genuinely welcoming of all who have the aptitude and aspiration to achieve –this may demand further changes in attitude and working practice within engineering premises
Women’s Engineering Society Karen Burt Memorial Award
The Women’s Engineering Society is taking proactive steps to encourage women to aim for Chartered Engineer and corporate status. Their Karen Burt Memorial Award, which was established in 1998, is presented annually to the most outstanding newly chartered female engineer of their year, nominated by their Institution.
Karen Burt was a tireless campaigner for the recruitment and retention of women in science and engineering. From her own experience and her extensive research she was regarded as an expert in the management of career breaks and women 'returners' to engineering.
A Cambridge graduate and holder of a PhD from Reading University, Karen started her working life at British Aerospace Systems at Stevenage as project engineer for scientific satellites and progressed to Senior Systems Engineer before developing an interest in management. She subsequently left the company to start up her own consultancy and was largely responsible for establishing the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Systems within University College London (UCL). She had just accepted a position on the staff there when her career was tragically ended by a devastating stroke.
Given Karen’s own significant achievement in engineering and her passionate encouragement of female engineers, it is entirely fitting that the award established in her memory not only recognizes a nominee’s excellence and potential in the practice of engineering and highlights the importance of Chartered status, but also gives recognition to contributions made by the candidate to the promotion of the engineering profession.
Rhona Malcolm, the Young Member Board representative for the Construction and Building Services Division, is the Institution’s nomination for this year’s award, and we wish her well in the final selection process.
The Ford WISE Prize 2009
The Institution also rewards female engineering excellence through its support of the Ford WISE Prize. Aimed at penultimate year students on UK engineering courses and engineering apprentices, and sponsored by the Ford Motor Company and WISE (Women Into Science, Engineering and Construction), the prize recognises outstanding commitment and achievement by female undergraduates in all disciplines of engineering. It has been introduced to encourage and promote the potential of engineering careers to women.
Applications for the award are invited from any penultimate year female undergraduate studying engineering at a UK university or college, or an engineering apprentice - no age or nationality restrictions apply. The winner of the Ford WISE Prize will be active and committed to the world of engineering. She will not only study the discipline but will also demonstrate that she is dedicated and enthusiastic about being an engineer, with a sound understanding of the social significance of her activities. The winner will receive a certificate and a cheque for £1,000 as recognition of her commitment to engineering.
You can nominate yourself or be nominated by someone else (e.g. a tutor or an industry placement mentor).
For further details and to apply for the Ford Wise Prize 2009
The closing date for applications is Monday 20 July 2009.