Women in engineering are making the headlines again and it’s for all the right reasons.
In a refreshing change from ‘why we need more female engineers’, two good news stories are focusing on a potential gender shift in the sector.
Forth Valley College in Stirlingshire has seen a record number of female engineering modern apprentices (MAs) for an academic year. Nineteen have started their apprenticeships in fields such as welding and fabrication, instrumentation, power distribution and mechanical engineering.
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They will all spend their first year at college while being employed by companies including TechnipFMC, Petrofac, Scotrail, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Aker Solutions, WorleyParsons, Ineos and Petrolneos, Dupont and Scottish Power.
Meanwhile over on Planet Dyson (of the vacuum cleaners and other wizardry), women are making up a third of engineering students at Sir James’s Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology in Wiltshire.
The undergraduates will be learning – and working on the Dyson range of products – over the next four years. Sir James has commented: “They are opting for something new and exciting. I am looking forward to seeing what exceptional things they achieve over the next four years.’’
Here’s some of the engineering jobs both the Stirling and Dyson graduates could be heading for once they finish their studies.
Design engineer
This is an exciting field to work in as it encompasses all stages of the design process, from conception to presentation of the finished plans. As every engineering sector needs designers, they could choose from building bridges to developing components for hi-tech hand dryers.
Electrical engineering
Specialising in power supply and generation, these graduates can also pick ’n’ mix their disciplines. Computers, robots, mobile phones, navigation systems, wiring . . . whatever lights their candle (though that’s maybe too low-tech nowadays).
Mechanical engineering
These girls love to solve problems – and create solutions – for anything that involves moving parts in a whole range of industries. The world’s their engineering oyster as they can choose from aerospace, automotive, biomedical, construction and manufacturing.
Chemical engineering
Some of the Forth Valley graduates may choose this discipline, given the employment opportunities in the Falkirk and Grangemouth area. The petrochemical industry, medicine and plastics are some of the likely beneficiaries.
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