Engineering bodies call for more women

ENGINEERING bodies have called for new emphasis on female recruitment, as the percentage of women working in the sector remains stubbornly low.

Launched today, on National Women in Engineering Day, the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) new campaign urges companies to revisit their approach to both recruitment and retention of female engineers.

Just seven per cent of UK engineers are female, which IET says makes poor business sense.

IET deputy president Naomi Climer said: “Improved gender diversity would lead to more innovation, as well as a more harmonious and collaborative working environment.”

Nick Baveystock, director general of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) added: “This is not about arbitrary fixing of targets to reflect societal balance – it is about understanding that men and women bring different perspectives to engineering solutions.”

One of the most famed female engineers, Stephanie Kwolek, died last week, aged 90. She invented the lightweight and stronger-than-steel fibre Kevlar, used for body armour.