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.” ​