Feature

How the engineering industry can help #BreakTheBias

8 March marked International Women’s Day. This year’s theme was ‘Break the Bias’, reflecting the need to break down stereotypes in order to make male-dominated spaces more inclusive for women.

04/04/2022 11:03:00

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Within the engineering industry, there is an ongoing conversation about the need for more female engineers, not only to provide equal opportunities, but also to help fill that all-important skills gap that continues to plague the industry. So, what do we need to do to empower women to pursue
STEM?

• Education. A new survey from London Tech Week revealed 68 percent of respondents believe that gender perception is the biggest obstacle to women entering the tech industry. These stereotypes start during school, and are pervasive throughout all STEM disciplines. Only 32 percent of girls in Key Stage Four
said they enjoyed STEM, compared to 59 percent of boys. The percentage of boys who rated themselves as good in STEM (60 percent) is almost double the figure for girls (33 percent). However, girls actually outrank boys in terms of STEM subject performance. More girls achieved the highest grade bands in
these subjects than boys in 2021. “It’s not an issue of skill, but it could instead be that young women are deterred from pursuing careers in STEM, while young men are encouraged towards them,” says piston rings supplier FPE Seals, who reported this data. There is therefore a need to
tackle damaging stereotypes early on and to present STEM careers as feasible and fulfilling paths for girls.

• Celebrating female role models. A lack of role models (57 percent) in the industry is another huge obstacle to entering the sector, says London Tech Week...

Read the full article in the April issue of DPA

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.