engineering career

The Gender Problem in Engineering

By David McKinney 22 July, 2023 2 mins read

Engineering has a huge gender problem. More than 40% leave the engineering profession after becoming highly skilled. There are many articles that have been written about the reasons women leave engineering. How can we change this statistic? In this article, we'll discuss some of the key factors that are contributing to the problem.

Inadequacy of female role models

According to UNESCO, 35% STEM students are women. Many factors contribute to this, including stereotypes and cultural barriers, lack of confidence, and lack of vision. It is crucial that female engineers are more visible. One way to increase the number of women in the engineering field is by creating more inspiring female role models. The Professional School of Software Engineering has recently launched a program to help create role models.

Although there are many male role models within the engineering field, it's important to remember that there is a dearth of female role models. This is not a problem that cannot be solved. There are many solutions to this problem. First, acknowledge the problem and seek out female role models. The second is to look for role models that are both female and male.

Lack of female leaders in engineering

According to a recent study, women's lack of leadership in engineering is partially explained by the organization's policies and practices. Many women who work as engineers report having good working relationships with co-workers and enjoying engineering tasks. However, some others have complained about poor mentoring and discrimination from their bosses. A lack of female engineers could also be due to women's unmet demands.

There aren’t enough role models for women to inspire them. This is why female engineers have a shortage of leaders. This makes it difficult for future generations of female engineers find mentors. This issue can be addressed by encouraging more women into engineering.

Uneven treatment

Many cultural and structural obstacles can negatively impact the perseverance of women in engineering. As in many other high-paying careers, engineering has historically been dominated and dominated by male engineers. This has made it difficult to fight inequality by making it harder for women to overcome gendered barriers. These problems can be addressed, however.

You can overcome this bias by prioritizing your inner voice. Women engineers often feel that their views are not taken seriously and that they are not "real engineers." The research also shows that feeling unvalued creates chronic stress and challenges the ability of female engineers to cope with other stressors. This can lead you to burnout or even consider quitting engineering.

Microaggressions

However, microaggressions against women engineers are a problem that persists in engineering programs. Strategies that promote diversity within engineering departments can reduce or eliminate them. These negative experiences can make it difficult for some women to continue in the engineering field. The research aims to understand the effects of microaggressions in engineering programs and find strategies for preventing them.

Many studies suggest that microaggressions of women in STEM fields may be common. These negative experiences are detrimental to women's psychological health and professional identity. Some women say these experiences are the result of internalised sexism.

FAQ

What is a Mechanical Engineering Engineer?

A mechanical engineer designs machines for people, such as vehicles, tools, products and machinery.

Mechanical engineers use mathematics, physics, and engineering principles to create practical solutions to real-world problems.

A mechanical engineer might be involved in product development and production, maintenance or quality control.

Do I need special qualifications to study engineering?

No. You only need to get good grades in your GCSEs. Some universities will require applicants to demonstrate certain academic achievement in order to be eligible for enrollment. Cambridge University for instance requires applicants to have A*-C in Maths, English Language, Science, and Maths.

These requirements are not met, so you may need to take additional courses to prepare you for university entrance exams.

You might need to learn additional math/science subjects, as well as a course in a foreign language. Talk to your school guidance counselors for more information.