Today, June 23rd, is International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), started in 2014 to mark the 95th anniversary of the Women’s Engineering Society started at the end of World War 1. This event has grown from its origins in England to be a global event supported by UNESCO.

The WES grew out of the displacement of the women working in technical jobs during the war, but “found it a difficult path. A change of law to ensure that the country reverted to a pre-war setting when the War finished meant that women were unable to continue with their (engineering) jobs, and were unwanted in the technical professions. The pioneering and influential women of the time set up the Women’s Engineering Society, and have been working since that time to ensure equality for women in this non-traditional sector,” the INWED site explains.

While the situation has improved since then, it is no where close to parity. Even when women finish an engineering degree, often the battle has just begun.

“Research from the American Psychological Association shows that 40 percent of women who obtain engineering degrees either leave the field early or never enter the field at all. This is largely due to the work culture of technology companies and other engineering firms, which simultaneously dismisses women out of hand and places them under intense scrutiny. Although women are often dismissed when achieving at a standard or higher level, they are labelled as incompetent when they make simple mistakes. Their male counterparts face no such discrimination, and as such, many women in these situations begin to see themselves as incapable of succeeding in work environments.”

The Observer - September 21,2018

But there are countries that seem to have closed the gender disparity. In Easter Europe and Central Asia, countries that were part of the Soviet Union and its satellite bloc, benefited from the support for women participating in science at government-supported facilities. While Nordic countries had aggressive welfare and social policies to help women in the workplace, as WE Forum notes.

Numerous companies help organizations like the Society of Women Engineers including 3M, Eaton, Honeywell and TE Connectivity. The SWE’s mission is ”to stimulate women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity. SWE gives women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering industry,” as EngineerGirl notes.

Female engineering students can also join Alpha Omega Epsilon, a professional and social sorority, founded in 1983, for female engineering and technical science students and alumnae. It promotes ideals and objectives that further the advancement of female engineers and scientists.

This year, International Women in Engineering is using the hashtag #ShapetheWorld to unite conversations on social media. They are asking “creative (and budding) engineers to celebrate the good things women engineers do. Please have a look at our Resources, think about using our Selfie Cards and tell us all about your planned Activities! This year's theme for INWED is 'Shape The World'.

Join in the festivities and share any other organizations helping women in engineering in the comments below.