Shortage of engineers
In Belgium, as in the rest of the world, there is a severe shortage of engineers in the labour market. In addition, among engineers, women are strongly underrepresented. Because although women represent over half of graduates with a higher degree, only one in five engineers who graduated in our country in 2014 is a woman.
Just as strong technically
The assertion that women are less suited to technical professions and therefore don’t choose education in engineering is a misconception. Even more, the standard educational pattern that lies at the basis of that cliché could be the cause of the current shortage of female engineers. Fortunately we are – slowly but surely – seeing change in that area; today more than ever, women are welcome in typically male professions.
Woman offer added value
Work environments that are seen as ‘male’ benefit in fact from a healthy balance between men and women. Diversity in the workplace is conducive to a healthy work atmosphere in which there is room for innovation. And in engineering jobs in particular, innovation plays a very important role. Moreover, women score very well in general in the area of accuracy and communication skills, a golden combination for almost any engineering position.
Male work environment
In practice, however, there are still too few women who study engineering. Once they have graduated, many also choose a different job. Research in the US and Great Britain shows that the difficult balance between work and private life and the adaptation to a predominantly male work environment are a difficulty for them in particular. In other words, employers who commit themselves to flexible work and a healthy gender balance may be able to help ensure that more women will choose a job as an engineer in the future.
Sources: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, the Guardian
Find your dream job
Even more hoping for the job of your dreams after reading this article? Start searching jobs that fit your profile now!