Cyber sexism adds to shortage of female engineers: study
A study by EngineeringUK found that a host of organisations – including universities, media outlets and search engines – reinforced gender stereotypes through images on their websites.
The report, which marked the start of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, also surveyed teenage girls and found that a nearly third believed images were too male orientated.
EngineeringUK chief executive Paul Jackson said: “To know, from our research, that cyber sexism is potentially putting girls off engineering is deeply saddening.
‘Wealth of opportunities’
“There are a wealth of opportunities available across the engineering industry, and in particular the food and engineering industry.”
Jackson said the food and drink manufacturing sector relied on engineering and it was “worrying” to see a shortage of engineers in the field.
He said: “As part of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2015, we are calling on all organisations to look carefully at how they represent engineering and stop using out-dated, gender stereotypical pictures.”
To mark the week, EngineeringUK published case studies on young engineers including Unilever graduate trainee Chris Seymour and Nestlé project engineer Aoibheann Hurley.
‘Exciting projects’
Jackson said: “We have spoken to some amazing engineers, working on exciting projects in the industry, from creating the pattern used in your favourite ice cream, to making your favourite chocolate bars.”
Tomorrow’s Engineers Week was also supported by manufacturers’ organisation EEF which hoped to inspire the next generation of engineers in the UK.
EEF employment and skills policy adviser Verity O’Keefe said: “This week is about sending up a flare to alert young people, parents and teachers to the wealth of opportunity in engineering.
“A career in our sector ticks all the boxes, offering jobs, good pay and the chance of an interesting and dynamic long-term career.”
