Why International Women in Engineering Day Matters More Than Ever.
At West Yorkshire Manufacturing Services (WYMS), we proudly support International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) - a celebration of women’s achievements across the sector, and an opportunity to reflect on the barriers that still exist for gender equity in engineering.
While positive steps have been made, recent UK data shows that more work is urgently needed to retain and support women throughout their engineering careers.
A gender gap that’s getting wider
According to EngineeringUK’s 2024 report, just 15.7% of those working in engineering and technology roles in the UK are women - a slight but concerning decrease from 16.5% in 2022.
This fall is not due to fewer women entering the industry, but due to a worrying spike in the number leaving mid-career. Most notably, women aged 35 to 44 are leaving the profession in higher numbers than ever before.
- The overall number of women in engineering and technology roles dropped by 38,000 between 2022 and 2023.
- The average age at which women exit the profession is 43, compared to 60 for men.
(Source: EngineeringUK, 2024 – “Women in Engineering and Technology” and related press release)
This highlights a critical retention gap that must be addressed to meet future workforce demands.
The business case for change
Improving gender diversity is not just the right thing to do - it’s vital to business success.
While the UK lags behind many European nations in terms of female representation in engineering (e.g., the European average is 30%, while the UK sits at 15.7%), the benefits of diversity are well-documented:
- Gender-diverse organisations in STEM fields see better decision-making, improved innovation and stronger performance.
(Source: Royal Academy of Engineering, “Increasing Diversity and Inclusion in Engineering” 2022)
In short, diverse teams solve problems more effectively - an essential asset in a sector tackling complex challenges.
The opportunity ahead
Encouragingly, there has been a significant increase in young women entering engineering roles:
- In 2023, 22,000 more women aged 16 to 34 joined the sector than in 2022.
(Source: EngineeringUK, 2024 – “Women in Engineering and Technology”)
This is a promising trend - but without the right support structures in place, we risk losing this talent before it reaches leadership or senior technical levels.
At a time when the UK needs to fill over 170,000 engineering roles annually to meet demand, the industry cannot afford to let female talent walk away.
(Source: EngineeringUK, “The Engineering and Technology Workforce” 2024)
IWED: A celebration and a commitment
International Women in Engineering Day is more than a celebration - it’s a call to action, to commit to the systems, strategies, and cultural changes needed to ensure that women not only enter the profession - but thrive in it.
“We work with so many talented women across the manufacturing and engineering sectors - but the stats show we still have a long way to go. At WYMS, we’re committed to doing our part to ensure women are not just welcomed into engineering, but supported, developed and retained. That’s how we build a future-fit workforce.”
- Mark Lewis, CEO, West Yorkshire Manufacturing Services
At WYMS, we collaborate with manufacturers, industry bodies and education providers to offer inclusive training, mentorship and leadership development - helping to build a sector where skills and potential come first.
One individual making her mark on the engineering world is Shannon Thawley, a 21-year old apprentice electrical engineer at Power Engineering Services Ltd.
We took the time to interview Shannon and discuss her role and experiences as a female engineer, and her thoughts on how the sector can do more to promote the hardworking women who are already working in the industry.
What does your current role involve on a day-to-day basis?
It can vary between panel wiring, working to help refurbish the switchgear and transformers or helping to ease the work flow process with document control.
What is the most exciting or rewarding project you've worked on?
The most rewarding project I've worked on, I'd say, is the first batch of mining transformers that we ever built. These transformers were part of a large scale project to aid with the building of the HS2 project in London. Personally I found it rewarding because it showcased what we are capable of as a company.
What skills do you use most in your job? Are any of them surprising?
One of the skills I find myself using more often than not is my critical thinking, due to having to refurbish the switchgear and transformers whilst using problem solving and adapting my work process to fit the given scenario. A skill that I do find surprising is my own ability to adapt to these scenarios in any situation even if I'm working in a different area than usual.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
Before I started at PES, I had always wanted to work in a physical, hands-on job where I could get stuck in. Having always wanted to work with cars as a young kid, working at PES was a great alternative, as I still get to work with tools. Although it's not with cars, I wouldn't change this job for the world.
Was there a particular moment or person who influenced your decision?
Engineering has always run in my family, with both of my grandfathers working in engineering jobs and my dad, who works at PES with me, also being in the engineering sector. Also, when I was younger on Christmas or birthdays, I would always buy electronic toys where you could build a selection of circuits to make different things work or spin.
Are there any challenges you have faced during your education or training? How did you overcome them?
Education itself has always been a challenge for me, as I find it hard to sit, listen, and learn because I am more of a hands-on learner and I prefer to learn by getting stuck in with the task and learning whilst I'm doing. To overcome these challenges, I always look ahead to the end of my education and all of the possibilities that will come my way when I complete it.
Why do you think it's important to have more women in engineering?
I think it's important to have more women in the engineering sector to show that women can do anything anyone else can do, sometimes even better. It's vital for young girls or women who may want to start a career in engineering to have these role models in the industry so they know that they can do it too.
What advice would you give to girls or young women thinking about a career in engineering?
When you feel like you can't do something, believe in yourself, you can do it, and everyone believes in you too.
What would you say to your younger self at the start of your journey?
Don't listen to any of the negatives that come your way, just believe in yourself because that's all that matters.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Where I hope to find myself in the next 5 years is a tricky one because the engineering industry is ever changing. However, I do know that I will still be in this industry because it has so much to offer, and hopefully I'll be working my way up the ranks!
How do you hope the field of engineering evolves in the future – especially for women?
I hope that more opportunities arise for women in the field of engineering in the future. I hope it becomes easier for women to enter jobs in this industry without feeling outcast or not worthy enough.
What could the sector do to encourage more women to explore a career in engineering?
I think the sector should aim to feature more of the hardworking women who are already working in this industry in either campaigns, magazines or even just social media posts talking about the engineering sector and what it has to offer for all the young girls and women out there who may be looking to start up their own journey.
