June 23rd is International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), an event organised by the Women’s Engineering Society to celebrate the amazing work that female engineering professionals do around the world every day.
Naturally, this is cause for celebration; however, it should also act as an opportunity for the engineering and utilities sectors to pause and reflect on whether they are doing justice to the talents of these highly skilled professionals. After all, it’s no secret that women have historically been significantly underrepresented in engineering roles, but it also cannot be denied that responsible industry employers have put a lot of effort into addressing this in recent years.
To coincide with INWED 2023, we’re taking the opportunity to review whether or not the industry is progressing fast enough on female inclusion, and discuss some of the key steps that could be taken to help move things forward faster.
There have been a number of new industry reports and research pieces that explore the strides that the engineering sectors have been making to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for female staff. These stats reveal a number of positive trends:
However, despite the signs of improvement, the evidence nevertheless shows that women are still underrepresented within this sector by a significant margin, and that gender gaps still persist, with a lack of female representation in senior roles cited as a key reason for this.
The WUN’s report also highlighted a number of other cultural issues within many engineering and utilities-related workplaces that continue to hold women back:
Given how many female professionals clearly do not feel free to achieve their career goals within the engineering industry, it is important that employers in the sector take a moment to reflect on this, and use it as an opportunity to drive forward further progress.
At Lanes Group, we believe that these longstanding barriers to female career progression in the engineering and utilities sectors can only be tackled through a dedicated and holistic commitment to change within the industry’s business culture.
Here are examples of some of the steps that we are looking to push forward as an employer, and that we believe other companies should also be taking:
We have also hosted conversations with both the WUN and WES to get some insights into the other steps the industry needs to take to address the issues faced by female professionals.
Here are some of the key points highlighted by WUN advocate Hayley Bruce in our exclusive interview:
We also spoke to WES CEO Elizabeth Donnelly, who shared a number of recommendations with us about how the industry should look to move this conversation forwards:
It is our hope that by continuing to contribute to the conversation about female recruitment in engineering, we can play a meaningful role in helping the sector to solve the longstanding problem of underrepresentation.
To learn more about these issues and the work that Lanes Group has been doing to tackle the trend, take a look at these resources:
If you’d like to browse the roles we have on offer at Lanes, you can explore our jobs today. Everyone who joins our team will be given the support and opportunities they need to succeed - no matter what your identity or background may be.
Lanes Group Ltd,
17 Parkside Lane, Parkside Industrial Estate, Leeds, LS11 5TD
Lanes Group ltd
Customer Solutions Centre
9 Cambridge Avenue
Slough
SL1 4AY
Our News Feeds
Andy’s jobs journey reaches fulfilment down in the sewers
Andy led the Lanes emergency team, working on behalf of Thames Water, that first responded to the discovery of the Islington concreteberg.
Why Lanes Group - and the drainage sector - is perfect for those looking for a new career
Find out more about what makes the drainage sector such an attractive proposition for those looking for a change in career.
Where to start when making a career change
Let us help you understand your options when it comes to changing careers
How to successfully apply for a role as a Lanes Group CCTV engineer
Find out more about what we're looking for in our CCTV engineers, and how to maximise your chances of securing a role with Lanes Group.
What it’s actually like to work in the drainage industry
In this article, we look at the many great things about working in the sector and show you what it’s really like to have a career in this growing sector, while busting a fair few myths in the process.
Vicky has perfect role keeping online sales flowing
Personality, determination and a very good understanding of the drainage industry – all qualities that Vicky Smith puts to excellent use as an online sales executive at Lanes Group plc.