Engineering, Women in

Engineering is traditionally perceived to be a male occupation, which reflects the historically close relationship between masculinity and technology. The proportion of women in engineering remains low despite women's greater access to higher education and to the workplace, and initiatives aimed at tackling women's entry into engineering.

The lack of women in engineering and some of the obstacles women face in the sector are part of wider societal perceptions that identify engineering occupations as men's domains. There are a series of aspects to understanding women's nonparticipation in engineering including gaining the right qualifications, translating qualifications into employment, and retention of women and career progression. There has been a lot of emphasis on getting women onto engineering courses, but less focus on their experiences there. Evidence suggests ...