Women in Engineering – Part One

Engineering may additionally bring to mind photos of quantity crunching nerds holed up in workplace cubicles, however that is a false image. Engineering includes a large range of disciplines – consisting of agricultural, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, business, mechanical, and nuclear, to call just a few. Engineers apply scientific and technical understanding towards the design, development and operation of systems, machines, devices, substances, or methods.

Engineers are trouble solvers and help to make the arena a better vicinity. Engineering is ready creating a distinction, and helping to solve troubles “which can be vital to society.” Engineering is as a good deal about teamwork and operating with human beings as it is about math and science. Engineering is about creativity. Engineers may be determined in each country and each enterprise. They are hired by way of manufacturing industries, via expert, medical, and technical service sectors, and with the aid of federal, nation, and local governments.

Engineering is a profitable subject with many possibilities for growth and development. With our excessive-generation society, engineering and advanced generation careers are growing approximately four instances quicker than other occupations. These are careers wherein women are beneath-represented – best about 10% of engineers are lady.

A decline in engineering bachelor’s stages is happening when we want engineers extra than ever. According to a survey released in June 2008 through the American Society for Engineering Education, engineering graduates are lowering whilst at the equal time demand for their abilities is growing. An increase in women acquiring engineering ranges can help to reverse this fashion.

According to the survey, in 2006-2007, women earned 18.1% of bachelor stages, 22.Five% of masters degrees, and 20.8% of doctoral stages in engineering. Most of the women’s degrees had been concentrated in 5 disciplines. Following are the share of bachelor’s degrees earned by means of women in the 5 disciplines: environmental: forty four.Five%, biomedical: 38.2%, chemical: 36.Three%, organic & agricultural: 32.6%, and business/manufacturing (30.Nine%). The disciplines wherein women had been least represented had been pc (nine.2-12.2%%), mechanical (12.1%), and electrical (12.4%). In addition, women acquired best 21.Zero% of civil engineering degrees.

There have been 1.Five million engineering jobs in 2006, with over 1/2 of these positions (55.8%) held by means of civil, mechanical, industrial, and electric engineers, which might be the disciplines ruled by using guys. Civil engineering is the biggest employment area for engineers. The employment of civil engineers is projected to grow by 18%, faster than the common for all occupations. Industrial engineering is projected to develop quicker than the average for all occupations, by using 20%.

Engineering disciplines favored through girls are among the smallest in terms of numbers employed, but are projected to be the quickest growing over the decade. Environmental, chemical, biomedical, and agricultural NoakMech engineering disciplines comprise much less than 10% of the jobs (6.Seventy four%); however, biomedical and environmental engineers are expected to have an awful lot quicker than average employment increase than for all different occupations: 21% for biomedical, and 25% for environmental. Agricultural (nine%) and chemical (eight%) are projected to grow about as speedy as the common for all occupations. Materials engineering, with a projected 4% boom price, is the best discipline desired by means of ladies to develop slower than the common for all occupations.

According to the federal United States Department of Labor, beginning salaries for engineers are most of the maximum of all college graduates, and a bachelor’s diploma is required for most access level jobs. For the last decade 2006-2016, the DOL tasks that typical employment of engineers will boom by means of 11%, about as fast as the average for all occupations, with growth rates varying by means of subject.

As the demand for engineers will increase to maintain technological societies going, we need to tap into the female gender, as ladies now not most effective are half of the population, but receive more bachelor’s (59%) and masters (sixty one%) average.

© Koval Associates LLC

Would you like a speaker on your enterprise on the topic of girls in non-traditional careers? Susan Koval is available to talk to schools, schools, kids businesses, civic companies, and corporations with regards to ladies in non-traditional occupations. Programs can be custom designed for your organization’s desires.