International Women in Engineering Day

The event was first observed in the UK by the Women’s Engineering Society in 2014

Women’s impact on engineering

Women have had an established role in engineering since well before the First World War. The growth of new fields such as electrical engineering and aeronautics saw increased opportunities for women.

Women activists pushed against the limits within universities and professional techno-scientific societies such as the Royal Society.

Women’s entry to engineering and related technical roles was recognised through the foundation of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in June 1919.

Katharine Parsons, Amy Johnson, and Beatrice Shilling were all prominent and active members of the WES and actively encouraged other women to pursue participation in engineering and technical professions.

Through such networks, collaboration and activism, these pioneering women realised their innovations and provided inspiration for subsequent generations of women in engineering.

Below are some significant historical Female Engineers

1770-1852 Sarah Guppy (bridge patentee) She was an inventor who contributed to the design of Britain’s infrastructure and developed several domestic products. In 1811 she patented the first of her inventions, a method of making safe piling for bridges. 1770-1852

LADY KATHARINE PARSONS: ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

Katharine, Lady Parsons (1859-1933), co-founded and led the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). She supported and collaborated with her husband on engineering projects, before the experience of managing thousands of female engineers in the First World War inspired her activism and support for greater recognition of women in this field.1885-1969 Alice Perry (civil engineer, Eire) graduated with a first class honours degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s College Galway (now NUI, Galway) in 1906. It is understood that she is the first woman to graduate with a degree in engineering in Ireland or Great Britain

AMY JOHNSON: BRITAIN’S MOST FAMOUS WOMAN AVIATOR

Amy Johnson (1903-1941) was a British aviation pioneer and long-distance aviation record-breaker.  In May 1930 she became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, an 11,000-mile journey.

1895-1957 Dame Caroline Haslett DBE, JP was the first secretary of the Women’s Engineering Society as well as first director of the Electrical Association for Women(which she co-founded) which pioneered such wonders as the “All-Electric House” in Bristol in 1935

1909-1990 Beatrice Shilling (aero engineer) was an aeronautical engineer who was responsible for correcting a serious defect in the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine during the Second World War. She also was a well-known racing motorcyclist. 1909-1990

1937-2001 Delia Derbyshire (electronic music engineer)

And the list is infinite…

Women make up 16.5% of all engineers, compared to 10.5% reported in 2010

The actual number of women working in engineering roles also increased from 562,000 in 2010 to 936,000 in 2021

The increase in the number of women in engineering roles continued to rise even when the total number of people working in engineering fell in 2020 and 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Women at Gem Cable Solutions Ltd:

Sinead Jack, Director at Gem Cable Solutions said:

“At Gem Cable Solutions we are proud to celebrate all our Women in Engineering, whatever their role within the company.

I am thrilled and proud that this year we have welcomed more women into Gem Cable Solutions Ltd. The quality of female appointees speaks volumes about how seriously we are about welcoming and encouraging women and diversity within the company.

Ownership: 50 %

Senior Management: 50%

Engineering : 66%

Production: 50%

CAD Technical : 100%

Admin : 50%

Finance: 100%

HR: 100%

We want to spotlight the need for more women in Engineering as well as the need for a diverse workforce.

If we only have one group of people designing and producing the products,  that may only benefit the people who look like them, make the same amount of money, live in the same types of areas, or go to the same types of schools. If we have a diverse group of people designing and producing our products, then it will  benefit many, many more people.

So, Let’s Celebrate all Women in Engineering, whatever their role”