Women in Engineering
The gender gap in engineering persists today.
What can we do to close it?
Pre-College Intentions
At 18 years old and on the brink of taking on the world, many young people are interested in pursuing engineering. Even in these early years, women are less likely than men to embrace such technical fields. This may be attributed to a lack of women mentors in such fields or not enough practical, hands-on practice with these subjects.
Perhaps with more mentorship, support, and insights into the diverse applications of engineering, more women would tend towards studying engineering.
Undergraduate Education
Although the number of women in engineering undergraduate enrollment has increased by 43.3%, men still make up more than 80% of the total enrollment.
The proportion of women who enroll in undergraduate engineering degree is less than the proportion of women who intended to study it. Somewhere in these few years, women are discouraged from taking part in the subject of interest to them.
Graduate Education
Although growth in rate of Doctoral and Master's degrees earned by women is greater than that for men over the past 10 years, men are still awarded significantly more higher education degrees than women.
Even throughout these higher levels of education, the gender gap in engineering seems to persist. Similar to earlier stages of education, women seem less inclined to attain high education engineering degrees, primarily due to lack of mentorship, support, and exposure to the possibilities that engineering holds.
Professional Career
Despite the growing number of women in engineering professions, they still made up less than 15% of the workforce in 2015.
Given that all women made up about 57% of the workforce in 2015, there is still a ways to go to close the gender gap.
With continued technological advancements, there is no doubt that more and more engineers will be needed in the future. It's important that we encourage young women to get involved in such technical fields--firstly, for their own growth and enjoyment, and secondly, for diversity of thought in such a far-reaching industry.
As an engineer, how can I help?
SHARE
Tell your engineering stories to young women
in conferences, online blogs or 1-on-1 meetings.
SERVE
Mentor young women in your workplace.
SUPPORT
Encourage women to join female-focused engineering interest
groups such as Society of Women Engineers
and Association of Women in Science.
References:
1. https://data.world/nsf/freshman-intentions-to-major-in-s-e-field
2. https://data.world/nsf/undergraduate-enrollment-in-engineering-programs
3. https://data.world/nsf/graduate-enrollment-in-s-e-fields
4. https://data.world/nsf/bachelors-degress-in-s-e-fields-awarded
5. https://data.world/nsf/masters-degress-in-s-e-fields-awarded
6. https://data.world/nsf/doctoral-degress-in-s-e-fields-awarded
7. https://data.world/nsf/employed-scientists-engineers
8. https://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2016-10-17/how-to-involve-more-women-and-girls-in-engineering
9. http://news.mit.edu/2016/why-do-women-leave-engineering-0615
10. https://fairygodboss.com/articles/women-in-tech-facts-figures-and-percentages
