Why Should Engineering Businesses Invest in Women? Why Shouldn’t They!

Sara Oliver, a director at Fenflow, thinks investing in women supports important organisational balance: "Every workforce needs diversity and balance. This brings different and broader perspectives and a wide variety of skills. I think without this balance, a team can become stagnant and resistant to change or to trying new ideas. Diverse teams simply perform better."

Annette Boulter, a training consultant for EMiR Software, added: "Women are smart, adaptive, and go the extra mile. Why wouldn't businesses want to invest in attracting excellent people?"

This was a view echoed by Gillian Montgomery, a winding operative at Houghton International: "Women are capable of doing these jobs, and businesses need unique perspectives and ideas to thrive. The real question is: Why shouldn't businesses invest in women?"

Jasmine McIlroy, Health & Safety Manager at GES Group, highlighted important evidence: "Statistics have proven that companies with high levels of diversity and gender inclusion in their management teams are 25% more likely to have higher levels of profitability than those with less diverse teams.

On tips for women considering engineering careers, Annette thinks women should not be put off: "Don't buy the line that engineering is a man's world. Be what and who you want to be. Search out the positive companies to work for and put yourself in front of them."

Based on her own experience of changing careers to move into engineering, Sara pointed out the value of transferrable skills: "Over the years, I have seen an increasing number of women who have changed careers and moved into engineering roles. There are always transferable skills, and the greatest attribute is the attitude to learn something new."

Kirstie Davies, Marketing Manager at EMiR Software, thinks anyone with an interest in the sector should give it a try: "There are many varied and interesting roles that this sector can offer. Dip in and take a look; it might just surprise you how well you will fit in."

Jasmine shared a similar view: "I always encourage young girls to pursue a career in STEM. If it's something they enjoy or are good at, they should go for it."

Finally, Corinne Roome, General Manager at Hidrostal UK, would like to see a point when we don't have to champion attracting women into engineering: "I think about it totally differently. The sooner everyone stops talking about 'women in engineering', the better. Because when they do, it will be normalised. No one talks about male nurses or male hairdressers."