Women in engineering and technology

Why does it matter?

The opportunity to do good things for society and the world has never been greater. We're in the midst of creative and innovative times and society deserves to have input and perspective from both males and females. Research shows that more diverse teams create better solutions; more diversity equals more creativity.

Where we are now

  • Currently women make up less than 11% of the engineering sector, the UK has the lowest percentage of female engineering professionals in Europe
    Source: Wisecampaign website and Guardian news article
  • Only 15.1% of engineering and technology undergraduates in the UK are female and this has remained static since 2012
    Source: The Institute of Engineering and Technology
  • Only 20% of A level physics students are girls and this has not changed for 25 years
    Source: iop.org
  • Just 17% of those working in technology are women, however 55% of Twitter and Facebook users are women
    Source: Wisecampaign and WomenwhoTech websites
  • Only 12% of students taking computer science A level are girls
    Source: Wisecampaign website
  • Just 5% of leadership positions in the technology sector are held by women
    Source: PwC - Women in Tech
  • Engineering is the most common undergraduate degree of the Fortune 500 CEOs
    Source: Engineering Management Institute

What we're doing at LJMU

The good news is that in the last decade, the number of women in professional engineering roles has almost doubled from just over 25K to just over 50k in the UK.

A career in engineering is an exciting and rewarding proposition for any student, regardless of gender, but greater diversity will ultimately bring about a wider range of innovative engineering solutions that work for everyone.

If you'd like to get involved in any FET events, please contact Caroline Arnold.

In the news



If you're considering pursuing a career in engineering or technology, there's a huge range of subjects to study. From electrical engineering to maritime studies, computer science to product design, why not find a subject that interests you?

Faq Items

International Women in Engineering Day 2023

International Women in Engineering Day 2021

Girl Guiding Science and Engineering Day

International Women's Day

International Women in Engineering Day 2020

International Women's Day

Innovate Her Wiki-edit-athon

Drone technology

Graduate profiles