A recent article published on the The Engineer dives into the latest statistics on women in STEM across the EU.
Key Take-Aways
- Despite growing numbers, women are still underrepresented in the “scientists and engineers” workforce
- Several female engineers and scientists from EU-funded projects see the societal image of engineering as a major cause of the issue
- Through various measures, such as more inclusive academic and workplace cultures, modern attitudes can replace traditional beliefs
In 2024, women represented 41.0% of the “scientists and engineers” workforce. Compared with previous years, this represents an increase. Many regions struggle to attract and retain female engineers nonetheless. Examples are Germany’s Baden-Württemberg and Italy’s Sud region: Here, the percentage of female engineers does not go above 30%. These numbers drop even lower further up in the job ladder; an issue often referred to as the ‘leaky pipeline’. Apparently, some barriers preventing women from engaging and thriving in STEM careers have not been overcome yet.
What hurdles are women facing in science and engineering?
Female engineers, when confronted with this question, indicate that stereotypes surrounding engineering may play a role in the persistence of these inequalities. In society, engineering is still perceived as a ‘typically male’ job. Judit Ruiz de Munain Bedia, a consultant and project manager at the EU-funded project MASTER , emphasises the need to work against this stereotype: Often, engineering is portrayed as cold and unrewarding. It could be perceived as a field based on teamwork, creativity and working towards meaningful human impact instead.
A recent study shows that exposing women to female role-models can strongly affect perceptions of a particular field. When being confronted with female mathematicians, women were more likely to think that mathematics can help address things like inequality or global warming. Monica Fernández Arias from EVERGLASS’ partner University of Vigo, supports this finding. According to her, the stereotype of engineering being a male field actively discourages women and might have a negative influence on self-belief. To overcome these hurdles, inclusive academic and workplace cultures must be fostered and supported by adequate policies.
Ana Drmota Petrič is a project manager of the EU-funded HARMONY. She points to a further misperception: Many think that engineering requires being exceptionally gifted; however, it is more about curiosity and willingness to learn. Initiatives can actively support female engineers to do so: Inspira STEAM in the Basque Country, for example, encourages female engineers to actively discuss engineering opportunities. For positive change, it is important to invest in shifting current perceptions.
The perception of engineering is already changing. With a new generation of engineers, modern attitudes might replace old beliefs. After all, change always takes some time, and gender equality in STEM is in the process of improving. Moving further requires generating a new image that captures engineering as what it actually is: a field in which curiosity can generate problem-solving and creativity independent from the engineer’s gender.