UNESCO’s Women in Engineering Statistics suggest that women make up only 10-20% of the engineering workforce globally. As per the SWE Research Update, there are only 13% of women in America’s engineering workforce. Though women have played pivotal roles in diversified fields of engineering historically and currently but in general, women are under-represented in engineering fields. Different organizations are striving to overcome this gender disparity, but there is a long way to go. Minority women are facing growing gender discrimination as compared to their white counterparts. In addition to gender discrimination, a lower rate of female engineers is a factor that contributes to this gender disparity in engineering.  As per SWE updates, a female engineer earns 10% less than a male engineer. We are going to explain the factors that make Women in Engineering Statistics appear so scary.

Engineering as Technological Progress Driver

Engineering has long been a primary driver of technological progress in the United States, and it has been a critical driver of this innovation. Indeed, much of the talent behind the United States’ dominance in global economies during the twentieth century came from the growth and institutionalization of engineering disciplines in American universities (Rosenberg and Nelson 1994). Engineering disciplines combine theoretical theory with application-oriented science to build structures and processes that generate new forms of learning. Technology is key to sustainable industrial innovation because of this convergence.

Engineers don’t just sit around and wait for something to happen; they take action. Engineering graduates are having an influence on the environment, unlike any other, thanks to their ingenuity, imagination, and depth of experience.

Importance of Engineering

The earth is evolving, and engineers are responsible for a great deal of it. The bulk of today’s utilities and goods have some aspect of engineering in their creation, opening the way for people affected by them to live long, rewarding, and stable lives.

Engineers operate in a variety of settings, from offices, studios, labs, the outdoors, and even underground. Engineering is heavily relatable to technology and its rise, which is why it has played such a significant role in technological advancements such as computers, hospital equipment, the internet, and so on. Engineers have since considerably changed healthcare as a result of advances in medical science.  Every single day, new inventions take place. Have you heard of London’s Crossrail? It would boost travel capability by 10% in London and the South East, resulting in faster trip times and more convenient connections.

Nobody knows precisely how engineers will impact civilization in the future, but it is inevitable that they will. Along with emerging and creative technology, new technical positions emerge on a regular basis. While it’s possible to forget how much work engineers do, it’s unavoidable to realize there’s more to engineering than meets the eye.

Why Male are Dominant In Engineering Fields?

Engineering is the STEM sector with the highest male-to-female ratio. With just 13% of the female engineering population, it could be the most male-dominated occupation in the United States. In reality, the proportion of women working in engineering in the UK is lower than anywhere else in Europe, at about 6%. For example, the number of women withdrawing from engineering could be outnumbering the number of women joining the field. Another theory is that efforts to encourage women to seek engineering careers are flawed, and as a result, the number of women entering the area remains limited.

While some women enter the engineering sector, many more leave to pursue other careers. According to a recent report, divisive group dynamics during team-based ventures make the industry less attractive and drive women away. Many women who work in engineering have strong aspirations for their careers and want to make a difference in society. These issues with group dynamics will arise at any stage of an engineer’s education, including university, apprenticeships, and college. These are critical points in an engineer’s education, and they quickly lead women to believe they aren’t cut out for a career in engineering, which is not the case. So, we are in a need of career counseling for girls and encourage them to be a part of the engineering fields.

Statistics

There are a variety of data sources from which you can have an idea:

Engineering UK has a tremendous Interactive Dashboard that you can use to explore their results. The dashboard is an interactive extension of their EngineeringUK summary, ‘Gender gap in engineering.’

WES has interpreted the following statistics from the Engineering UK 2018 report:

• In the United Kingdom, women account for 12.37 percent of all engineers.
• Women make up 21.80% of the technical workforce (including engineers) (22)
• Comparatively, 70.3 percent of boys, 46.4 percent of girls aged 11-14 will consider a career in engineering (22)
• In comparison to 66.0 percent of boys, 42.0 percent of girls 14-16 will consider a career in engineering (22)
• In contrast to 51.9 percent of boys, 25.4 percent of girls aged 16 to 18 will consider a career in engineering.

SWE’s Quick Facts updates bring the most recent data on women in engineering.

Women Leaving STEM or Engineering

• Women in Engineering Statistics suggest, In schools, more than 32% of women drop out of STEM degree programs.
• Just 30% of women with bachelor’s degrees in engineering are now doing jobs in the field after 20 years.
• Organizational environment is a factor by 30% of women who have left the engineering profession.

Degrees Which Are Awarded

• From 2012 (146,060) to 2017, there was a 40% growth in bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science (205,181).
• From 2012 (25,900) to 2017, there was a 58 percent growth in the number of women receiving bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science (40,876).
• Women receive 20% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science.
• Women of color earned 6% of bachelor’s degrees in engineering.

Some Statics About Workplace Proportionality

• Women make up just 13% of engineers.
• Women make up only 26% of computer scientists.
• Engineers who are female receive 10% less than male engineers.

Male Dominant Engineering Culture

One of the primary reasons for the lower female presence in engineering is the male dominant engineering culture. Unfortunately, some numbers or values are associated with the male gender in the workplace. For example, a woman finds it difficult to re-enter the workforce after taking some family business time.  Contrarily, men are remarkably less likely to take off because they have to raise their families. Consequently, women do not prefer to make efforts for re-entry into the workplace. In addition to this, leadership roles are associated with males in the workplace. So, when a man holds power, he may develop an uncomfortable environment for the opposite gender. For example, a woman may receive

• Lower Compensation

• More Responsibilities

• Less Appreciation

Leadership is Not a Question of Gender

In contradiction to prevailing social behavior, studies suggest that women have more leadership abilities than men. For example, women have more capability of

• Taking Initiatives

• Relationship Building

• Motivate Employees

As per the YouGov survey, 59% of the correspondents think that men and women are generally equally good leaders.

You Might be Interested In Reading: 10 Powerful Women Leaders

Opportunities Are Rising for Women

Employment in math and science was not a traditional career option for women until engineering first became mainstream in the United States. However, as times have shifted and STEM fields have become more multicultural, an increasing number of women choose jobs that they are passionate about without fear of gender roles. Although female workers make up just 14 percent of the workforce, this significantly improves from the 5.8 percent in the 1980s.

Even though men primarily dominate this sector, high-profile advertising programs, and increased job fulfillment and higher pay are assisting women in pushing for reform. Chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and other engineering careers are available. The engineering sector encompasses a wide variety of disciplines, from aerospace to audio to nuclear and nanotechnology. Renewable resources, human biology, cybersecurity, manufacturing, space travel, disease prevention, poverty alleviation, and global warming are only a few of the fields where engineers can make a difference.

Though Women in Engineering Statistics are scary, there is more need for females in the engineering sector. The industry seeks women with innovative ideas, unique insights, diverse backgrounds, and various creative approaches. Institutionalized gender roles, on the other hand, can deter girls and women from pursuing engineering careers. Many female engineers are forcefully doing what they can to promote gender equity in the engineering field and inspire more women and girls to see engineering as a career option.

Inspire More Girls Into Engineering

Kerrine Bryan, an award-winning electrical engineer, for example, wrote career-themed children’s books such as “My Mummy Is An Engineer” to inspire more girls into engineering. She states that:

“We’re losing future engineers at every level of life, and it begins at a young age because prejudice and stereotypes in the media and toys frequently implant ideas in children’s minds that engineering is for men and includes getting your hands dirty and repairing things, which doesn’t appeal to girls if they’re brought up to think they should be calm, clean, and tidy, and it starts at a young age because bias and misconceptions in media and toys often implant ideas in children’s minds that engineering is for men .”

Many engineering employment would undoubtedly exist in the future that has not yet been imagined due to emerging technologies and an ever-changing society. Many of the employees that will be expected in the future are still to be created, just as many of the tech jobs that occur today did not exist decades ago.

REFERENCE

https://www.wes.org.uk/content/wesstatistics#:~:text=21.80%25%20women%20work%20in%20the,engineers)&text=46.4%25%20of%20girls%2011%2D14,compared%20to%2070.3%25%20of%20boys&text=42.0%25%20of%20girls%2014%2D16,compared%20to%2066.0%25%20of%20boys

https://alltogether.swe.org/2019/11/swe-research-update-women-in-engineering-by-the-numbers-nov-2019/