Women still face challenges in engineering, says recruiter

Jo Faragher

A survey by a leading engineering recruiter has found that a large proportion of women still face challenges in moving up in this industry — despite well-publicised campaigns to attract more female talent.

Research from NES Global Talent found that three-quarters of women feel welcome working in oil and gas, yet 45% said they did not get the same recognition as male colleagues.

Almost all respondents (95%) said that having a mentor would help with career advancement, yet 42% said they were neither a mentor nor a mentee.

The survey also found that most respondents are happy with their choice of career, and plan to stay in oil and gas industry for the next two to five years. 

The research was commissioned to mark National Women in Engineering Day earlier this week, and highlighted how many women had worked in different industries such as building and construction and even law and retail, before moving into oil and gas.

It also suggests that in order to attract and retain female workers, the industry needs to improve its ability to provide mentorship, recognise workers equally and highlight the benefits of studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects at school or university.

Rebecca Ridley, associate director at NES Global Talent, said: “The encouraging news is that the vast majority of female employees do feel welcome in the sector and say they would recommend a career in oil and gas engineering to others.”

“Yet 45% say they do not get the same recognition as men. It is crucial that this issue is better managed if the sector is to become more attractive to women. Many respondents said they are paid less, have fewer opportunities than their male counterparts and have to work harder than men to prove themselves. There are clear improvements to be made if the oil and gas sector is to attract larger numbers of female engineers in the future.” 

Currently fewer than 10% of the engineering workforce in the UK is female, and only just over half of female STEM subject graduates go on to work in STEM roles.  

Averil Macdonald, Professor of Science Engagement at the University of Reading, added that creative recruitment techniques executed with women in mind could help with attraction.

She said: “Oil and gas sector companies should focus on engaging with young women both at school and at university, providing role models and an opportunity for young women to see for themselves what the sector has to offer through visits and paid internships.  This will ensure that oil and gas companies lead the way amongst engineering employers in benefiting from the untapped talent of those female engineers whose skills will, otherwise, be recognised and rewarded elsewhere.”