Press release

UKCES marks National Women in Engineering Day, highlights opportunities available to women

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) today added its voice to those marking the second annual National Women in Engineering Day, celebrating the work that women do in engineering and highlighting the career options available to women going into the sector.

Figures from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) suggest that women currently make up less than 10 per cent of the engineering workforce. Yet UKCES research suggests that the sector suffers from severe skills shortages, with employers struggling to find suitably qualified candidates in specific roles and occupations. In addition, UKCES workforce projections suggest that demand for engineers at all levels will continue to rise to 2022, with around 250,000 new roles for engineering professionals alone.

All of this suggests that women getting into engineering now could take advantage of great opportunities for pay and progression.

Published 23 June 2015