Think female

That resource is women. The gender imbalance in engineering is acute; and even a little redress could go a long way to solving the greater problem of the general engineering skills shortage that looms over every sector.

The problem, of course, begins at school. Girls are not encouraged as much as they should be to consider a career in engineering. The option is not presented in a way that appeals to their problem solving and leadership skills. According to the latest survey of women in engineering, if more girls are to share the benefits of working in the sector, much more needs to be done to raise awareness of the vast range of career possibilities and activities that it encompasses.

”The proportion of women in engineering courses is extremely low - just one in seven”

Britain’s Got Talented Female Engineers report

‘Engineering students are second only to medics in securing full-time jobs and earning good salaries. Yet the proportion of women in engineering courses is extremely low – just one in seven. The lowest for all university courses,’ said the report, entitled Britain’s Got Talented Female Engineers. The survey of women in engineering was carried out by Atkins, the engineering consultancy, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, BP and Rolls Royce. The aim was to raise the profile of engineering as a career choice among young women.