Engineering a change in perception over energy sector diversity

The energy sector lacks gender diversity.
Elizabeth Donnelly knows what needs to change.

One of the energy sector's biggest issues around gender diversity is one of perception, according to Donnelly, who is chief executive of the Women's Engineering Society in the UK.

During the pandemic, more women came into engineering jobs, yet perception is still hindering parity.

Donnelly says the public perception of engineers in energy "is very poor: you don't see engineers in a drama or reality TV show. You need to have it casually available."

Donnelly explained that when many of the public think of an engineer, they "think cold, wet, dirty, oily, very masculine, hard hats, protective equipment... whereas a lot of the jobs are sitting at a computer".

"I say: what is engineering? It's problem-solving; it's team building; it's collaboration; it's creativity."

Engineering a change in perception

Donnelly said women who are entering the workforce often walk into an environment where people are questioning why they are there.

This mentality is rooted in stereotyping from an early age, she explains, where girls are pushed towards jobs like teaching or beauty.

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Donnelly also referred to the need to change company culture, add more inclusive language to job adverts to attract women, and address the shortage of proper PPE.

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In fact, Donnelly stresses that PPE is a critical issue and an example of unconscious bias within the sector: PPE is designed by men to be worn by men.

"It's the idea people hold in their head when they picture an engineer: a man wearing a hard hat and a high-vis jacket."

She said that while may companies are looking to recruit women engineers, few are addressing fundamentals such as "proper-fitting PPE for those women and on-site toilet facilities".

Want more on energy sector gender diversity? Try these:
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Emma Pinchbeck: ‘We need an energy workforce that looks like the population we serve’
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