The Engineering Career Census – we want to hear from UK engineers
Currently 12% of the UK’s engineering workforce are female. As a profession, we are all making a concerted effort to increase the number of women in engineering, level the playing field once they are in the profession, and retain more of these talented women so they can advance in vital engineering roles. Early progression in engineering is quite similar for female and male graduates, which is encouraging, but this parity does not continue through their careers.
There is a significant pay gap in the profession, providing further evidence of the serious issue of under-representation of women in engineering, in particular at senior levels. This pay gap may be influenced by the 57% of female engineers who drop off the professional register by age 45, compared to just 17% of male engineers.
The engineering census: we want to hear from you
We want to ensure that there is an equal balance of male and female engineers at every level of seniority. The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) and the Royal Academy of Engineering are asking engineers about their careers. This census will compare the experiences of women engineers with those of their male counterparts, to understand the barriers to progression and retention for women and men. The survey launched at a reception at the Academy on Monday 24 June 2019, the day after International Women in Engineering Day, and will be open for responses throughout the summer. We invite you all to take part and spread the word to engineers across the UK, regardless of gender. Your answers will help us to identify any barriers and how we as a profession can help to ensure equal opportunities for all.
Dawn Childs FIMechE FRAeS, President, WES
Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, President, Royal Academy of Engineering
Responses