Bid to tackle gender gap

Chief executives and senior bosses from some of the UK’s top engineering companies have called for urgent action across the country to tackle a shortage of women in the industry.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) added its support to yesterday’s clarion call, which coincided with International Women in Engineering Day.

According to IET, women currently account for only 9% of the UK’s engineering workforce but 63% of UK engineering employers do not have gender diversity initiatives in place.

Jeremy Watson, the group’s president, said: “The time has come to stop talking about the problem and take definitive action.

“Not only is the lack of women in engineering

“The lack of women is compounding the skills shortage”

compounding the skills shortage in the UK, but it also means UK companies are missing out on the benefits that come from a more diverse and balanced workforce.

“It’s great to see engineering leaders acknowledging the gravity of the shortage of women in engineering and committing to take industry-wide action to change the status quo.”

The call was made at the IET’s #9 percent is not enough conference, in Birmingham, which is named after a multiaward winning social media campaign to highlight the gender diversity issue in UK engineering.

Mark Elborne, chief executive and president, GE UK and Ireland, said: “Closing the gender gap by bringing more women into technology and manufacturing is not just a nicesounding campaign slogan, but an economic necessity.”