Women in engineering and technology
Why does it matter?
The opportunity to do good things for society and the world has never been greater. We're in the midst of creative and innovative times and society deserves to have input and perspective from both males and females. Research shows that more diverse teams create better solutions; more diversity equals more creativity.
Where we are now
- Currently women make up less than 11% of the engineering sector, the UK has the lowest percentage of female engineering professionals in Europe
Source: Wisecampaign website and Guardian news article - Only 15.1% of engineering and technology undergraduates in the UK are female and this has remained static since 2012
Source: The Institute of Engineering and Technology - Only 20% of A level physics students are girls and this has not changed for 25 years
Source: iop.org - Just 17% of those working in technology are women, however 55% of Twitter and Facebook users are women
Source: Wisecampaign and WomenwhoTech websites - Only 12% of students taking computer science A level are girls
Source: Wisecampaign website - Just 5% of leadership positions in the technology sector are held by women
Source: PwC - Women in Tech - Engineering is the most common undergraduate degree of the Fortune 500 CEOs
Source: Engineering Management Institute
What we're doing at LJMU
The good news is that in the last decade, the number of women in professional engineering roles has almost doubled from just over 25K to just over 50k in the UK.
A career in engineering is an exciting and rewarding proposition for any student, regardless of gender, but greater diversity will ultimately bring about a wider range of innovative engineering solutions that work for everyone.
If you'd like to get involved in any FET events, please contact Caroline Arnold.
In the news
Check out these good news stories that celebrate women in engineering and technology.
- Sophie Harker: Young Woman Engineer of the Year (Twitter)
- Karen Uhlenbeck is first woman to win prestigious maths Abel prize (New Scientist)
Follow LJMU Women in Engineering and Tech on Instagram.
If you're considering pursuing a career in engineering or technology, there's a huge range of subjects to study. From electrical engineering to maritime studies, computer science to product design, why not find a subject that interests you?
