Engineering is a fascinating and rewarding field that offers many opportunities for creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. However, it is also a field that is dominated by men, and women often face various challenges and barriers to succeed in this profession. In this blog post, we will explore some of the common challenges that female engineers encounter, as well as some of the perks and benefits that come with being a woman in engineering.
Some of the challenges that female engineers face include:
Gender stereotypes and bias: Many people still have the misconception that engineering is a masculine and non-creative field, and that women are not suited or interested in pursuing it. This can lead to discrimination, harassment, and exclusion from opportunities and resources. For example, a 2018 study by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) found that women engineers reported being frequently interrupted, having their ideas ignored or dismissed, and being assigned less challenging tasks than their male counterparts¹.
Lack of representation and role models: According to the SWE, women accounted for only 14% of the engineering workforce in 2019¹. This means that there are fewer women in leadership positions, mentoring roles, and peer networks. As a result, female engineers may feel isolated, unsupported, and discouraged from pursuing their career goals. They may also face difficulties in finding mentors, sponsors, and allies who can help them advance and grow in their profession.
Work-life balance conflict: Engineering is a demanding and competitive field that often requires long hours, travel, and flexibility. This can pose a challenge for women who want to balance their career aspirations with their personal and family responsibilities. According to the SWE, 30% of women who leave engineering cite work-life balance issues as a reason¹. Moreover, women may face more pressure and guilt than men when it comes to balancing work and family, as they are often expected to take on more domestic and caregiving roles.
Despite the challenges, there are also many perks and advantages of being a female engineer. Some of them include:
Making a positive impact on society: Engineering is a field that has the potential to improve the lives of millions of people around the world. By applying their skills, knowledge, and creativity, female engineers can contribute to solving some of the most pressing problems facing humanity, such as climate change, health care, energy, transportation, and more. They can also inspire and empower other girls and women to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields and careers.
Enjoying a rewarding and fulfilling career: Engineering is a field that offers many opportunities for learning, growth, and innovation. Female engineers can work on diverse and exciting projects that challenge them intellectually and creatively. They can also enjoy a high level of job satisfaction, autonomy, and recognition for their work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, engineering is one of the highest-paying occupations in the country², with an average annual salary of $95,440 in 2020³.
Leveraging their unique strengths and perspectives: Women bring valuable skills and insights to engineering that can enhance the quality and diversity of solutions. For example, women tend to have more empathy, collaboration, communication, and emotional intelligence skills than men⁴, which can help them understand the needs and preferences of different users and stakeholders. Women also tend to have more creativity, intuition, and holistic thinking skills than men⁵, which can help them generate novel and innovative ideas.
Conclusion
Being a female engineer is not easy, but it is also rewarding and worthwhile. Women who choose this path face many challenges and obstacles, but they also enjoy many perks and benefits. By overcoming the barriers and embracing the opportunities, female engineers can make a positive difference in the world and achieve their personal and professional goals.
Respectfully 'Momgineer' - balancing motherhood, engineering genius, and having a blast!", Stay tuned for the next update!
Reference
(1) Engineering struggles to achieve gender parity | ASCE. https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/article/2022/05/engineering-struggles-to-achieve-gender-parity.
(2) The Problem of Visibility for Women in Engineering, and How They Manage It. https://hbr.org/2018/10/the-problem-of-visibility-for-women-in-engineering-and-how-they-manage-it.
(3) Women Engineers Perspectives on Changes and Challenges. https://swe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Women-Engineers-Perspectives-on-Changes-and-Challenges-State-of-Women-2018.pdf.
(4) Women in STEM: 3 Challenges we face — and how to overcome them - CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/09/women-in-stem-3-challenges-we-face-and-how-to-overcome-them.html.
(5) A Review of Job Challenges Factors for Women Engineer - HRMARS. https://hrmars.com/papers_submitted/4834/A_Review_of_Job_Challenges_Factors_for_Women_Engineer.pdf.
(6) Women in Engineering Fast Facts - Society of Women Engineers. https://swe.org/research/2021/women-in-engineering-fast-facts/.
(7) Women in engineering: The benefits of having a diverse workforce. https://www.engineernewsnetwork.com/blog/women-in-engineering/.
(8) Five important reasons why women should study engineering. https://www.bcu.ac.uk/engineering/news-events/blogs/5-important-reasons-why-women-should-study-engineering.
(9) The Perks of Being a Female Scientist - Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-perks-of-being-a-female-scientist/.
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