Women in Engineering: Progress, Barriers & the Role for Hands‑On STEM Experiences
The representation of women in UK engineering is on the rise—but slow progress hides persistent challenges. According to Engineering UK, women now occupy 16.9% of engineering roles, up from 15.7% last year and just 10% in 2010 . With engineering underpinning five of eight growth sectors and approximately 725,000 new roles expected by 2030, closing the gender gap is essential—not just socially, but economically.
Diverse teams drive better outcomes. This week, Laura Norton (WISE/IET) explained that including more women brings broader perspectives and solutions. Engineering UK’s Gender Pathways Project aims to fix that by tackling barriers through education and outreach.
Yet without visible role models and early encouragement in physics and maths, girls are less likely to take up engineering pathways.
Women are twice as likely as men to leave engineering mid-career, particularly during their 30s–40s. Return-to-work programmes like STEM Returners offer vital bridges for those coming back after breaks. But, to sustain momentum, support must span education, early-career, and return-to-work phases.
Boosting performance in school physics and maths is important—but the essential need is to fostering belonging, identity and confidence. That’s where RC Vision’s RC car racing workshops shine. By embedding engineering in engaging, real-world play, we help young people develop iteration skills, systems thinking, and resilience—the very habits of mind used in engineering careers—in an equity led environment based on free agency, purpose and social connectedness.
More needs to happen:
Scale female-centred programmes like Gender Pathways in school curricula.
Embed experiential learning (like RC Vision workshops) that bring engineering to life.
Support mid-career returners with targeted pathways and workplace flexibility.
Improve visibility of female engineers across classroom and media.
Our slow but steady progress—16.9% of engineering roles held by women—demonstrates that change is possible. But to keep pace with future demand, we need deliberate, inclusive strategies across all career stages. That’s why RC Vision’s hands-on approach is mission-critical: giving early-career experiences that stick.
If we can match structural interventions with engaging, confidence-building programmes, we’ll unlock the missing half of our talent pool—and boost innovation, equity, and impact.
Keywords: UK female engineers, women in engineering UK, STEM equity, engineering diversity, Gender Pathways Project
