Engineering Intelligence: What women bring to the table

Women in Engineering Day is celebrated annually on 23rd June to champion diversity within the engineering workforce and encourage more women and girls into the sector.

With artificial intelligence (AI) changing the state of work across a variety of industries, this year’s theme is Engineering Intelligence.

Although AI is driving significant shifts across the engineering workforce, it is not the first time that technology, or other external factors, have created change. This, in turn, reveals an opportunity for women to thrive in the sector and help businesses navigate this period of rapid evolution.

“Constant change is challenging, but this is where women make a real impact, as many of us have already had to adapt to environments that were not designed with us in mind,” explains Susan Odle, CEO at StorMagic. “While the nature of the challenge may have changed, the ability to persevere and succeed despite complexity is exactly how women will continue to shape the future of technology.”

A woman’s touch

However, AI is not the only force reshaping the engineering workforce. Organisations today face a range of challenges, including economic pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological advancement and employment reform.

“The challenges we’re facing are not getting less complicated, they’re growing,” notes Estelle Azemard, CEO, Leaseweb Canada. “And when problems get more challenging, different perspectives become incredibly valuable.”

Each challenge brings its own complexity and female perspectives are essential to addressing them. Women currently hold 43% of board seats in FTSE 350 companies; leaders must continue to embrace the unique perspectives they bring to today’s challenges.

Azemard advocates that we need to create “opportunities for more women to enter and thrive in engineering” not just because it is “good for representation” but because “it’s good for engineering. The future is going to belong to the organisations that can bring together and deploy the best ideas, regardless of where they come from.”

This sentiment is echoed by Leanne Taylor, CEO at Syspro, who reflects on her experience in the engineering sector: “What I’ve learnt over the years is that when you put capable women in the room as problem-solvers and decision-makers, not just as a token presence, that is when outcomes really improve. This matters even more as AI becomes embedded within manufacturing and distribution at pace. The systems being designed today will shape the industry for the next decade and who builds those systems is not a diversity checkbox. It’s a question of who has the abilities we need to succeed.”

Making a change

Despite the value they bring, women remain underrepresented in the engineering workforce. This is particularly concerning in the age of AI, where diversity is essential to identify and remove bias within systems and ensure they reflect the needs of the people who use them.

Paula Reichert, VP Northern Europe at AVEVA, explores the current gender gap: “Today, more women are entering into the engineering industry, especially early in their careers, yet there is still a long way to go; women still only account for 17% of the entire engineering and technology workforce across the UK.”

One of the reasons that women remain a minority within engineering is because it isn’t positioned as a viable career option for girls in their early lives and education. Claire Hu Weber, Vice President, International Markets at Fluke Corporation, explains that “girls remain less likely to say that engineering is suitable for them or that it fits well with who they are, and make up just 12% of engineering and technology T Level students across the country.”

She warns that “we cannot afford to lose talent because girls aren’t seeing any role models in the industry; diversifying the workforce is now imperative for organisations to be able to empower and encourage more women to join.”

Reichert agrees, adding that “young women need to see the purpose of the work and the real people behind it. It’s also important to highlight the many different routes in, whether this be apprenticeships, mentoring, or higher education courses.”

Leaving the ladder down

For young women considering a career in engineering, the rise of AI presents an opportunity to help shape technologies that will define the future of the industry. To celebrate Women in Engineering Day, the women of the industry shared their advice and words of encouragement for the next generation following in their footsteps:

Susan Odle, StorMagic: “To any woman who is considering a technology path, go for it, because you never know where it could lead. While it won’t be a straightforward journey, nothing worth achieving is.”

Leanne Taylor, Syspro: “This industry needs your perspective and contribution. The obstacles may still be there, but so is the opportunity to shape something that matters.”

Claire Hu Weber, Fluke Corporation: “Believe in your potential, even when others hesitate. Do not wait to feel completely ready, just start. Build your support system early, with teachers, peers, family, mentors and colleagues who believe in your ambitions. Stay curious, because engineering is about exploring the unknown, solving problems and improving lives. The world needs more women at the table to do that meaningfully.”