International Women in Engineering Day (INWED)

23 June celebrates International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), a national campaign launched by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). The mission of the campaign is to support women in engineering to fulfil their potential and support the engineering industry to be inclusive.

“Why the need for a dedicated day to celebrate women engineers?” some may say. 

Recent data highlights a 2.5% increase in women working within engineering (12% in 2018 to 14.5% in 2020^[1]) and, while this is a positive step in the right direction, it is worth noting that there are still many barriers preventing women and young girls from entering the industry.

Perceptions about engineering and beliefs about one’s own ability to become an engineer impacts our decision-making from an early age. These stem from a cumulation of a range of factors within our environment growing up.

Only 60% of girls aged 11 to 14 think they could become an engineer if they wanted to, compared to 72% of boys. This drops to 53% in the 16 to 19 age range, where only 25% of girls say they would ever consider a career in engineering^[2].

This year’s INWED theme is ‘Inventors & Innovators’, which WES suggests should be about raising the profile of those who have demonstrated the creation or improvement of a product or process, while advocating for other women inventors, innovators and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

Raising the profile enables others to learn about the exciting careers out there that may not otherwise be known, as well as the kind of individuals who take up those careers. They can become role models for others, facilitating the belief that “One day, I can be like you.”

Is there anyone you can think of who fits the bill? I can think of a few, and it is great to see BINDT raising the profile of and supporting such women within the non-destructive testing and condition monitoring industry.
Join the campaign to celebrate women in engineering this month by sharing their invention and innovation successes, tagging BINDT and the Women’s Engineering Society and using the hashtag #ImagineTheFuture.

References

1. www.engineeringuk.com/news-views/new-data-suggests-increase-in-number-of-women-working-in-engineering

2. www.engineeringuk.com/research/briefings/gender-disparity-in-engineering

If you have any thoughts or ideas, or are interested in joining the D&I Advisory Group, please get in touch: diversity@bindt.org