Too few female role models in engineering
25 Jul 2012
The following viewpoint, which was supplied by a reader (contact details provided) in response to our recent commment Jobs for the girls, provides an interesting perspective on this challenging issue:
I am a female engineer, with an MEng, and 10 years experience in design and manufacturing.
Firstly, a lack of girls taking science and maths at A Level means limited numbers able to study engineering at University.
Secondly, of the 20 girls on my university course (making up 15%), only 12 graduated, the rest either dropping out, or changing subject.
Of the 12 that graduated with a degree in engineering, only three of us went on to work in engineering, and most the others ending up in the finance or insurance sectors, with the pay being SO much better…
Sadly, after 10 wonderful years in engineering, my career is coming to an end, because I chose to have a baby, and despite showing for the last year that I can do a considerable amount for the company working three days a week (more than some do working full time!), they are forcing my hours back to full time because “they need the extra hours as they can’t recruit”.
I have applied for other jobs, got down to the last two, and it has gone to the person who can work full time.
It just goes to show that engineering isn’t a suitable career for anyone also wanting the opportunity to raise a family, which is no doubt why many girls are put off, or don’t return to work after a baby, or indeed why there are very few older female role models in engineering.
