Importance of Women Engineers in the 21st Century

In the era of science and technology, the world has witnessed a major transformation in the engineering sector. Virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, blockchain technology, 5G, AI, cloud computing and many other new technologies have emerged.

Many social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest have developed in the current century. All these discoveries have created a significant impact on human culture and lifestyle. People started believing facts rather than traditional societal norms and myths. With the dawn of the information age, technological advancements have also paved the way for women to empower themselves in their personal and professional lives. Despite the presence of numerous women engineers and entrepreneurs, right from the time of the industrial revolution in the 18th century to Industry 4.0 in the 21st century, women have been grossly underrepresented in the engineering sector. Unsurprisingly, only 50% of the women population goes the extra mile to pursue a career.

What’s Keeping Our Women Away from Work?

The prevailing gender stereotype towards the profession makes women choose traditional norms and value family over their careers. The inordinate household burden pushes them towards the verge of quitting their jobs and going back to take care of their families. It was noticed that after the pandemic, 70% of women were denied job positions that lacked flexibility.

According to studies by National Science Foundation, only 29% of the 52% of women who enrolled in STEM courses after graduation actually entered the workforce.

Women make up over 43% of all STEM graduates in India, one of the highest percentages in the world. But, according to data from the World Bank, just 14% of them become professional scientists, engineers, and technologists in R&D institutions and universities.

The biased nature of society influences the subjects a girl can choose and the role she can perform in an organisation. Also, the existing gender gap in pay reveals that a woman's skills and hard work are not recognised. Most employers pay only between 82 and 87% compensation for women compared to men. This scenario consequently leads to a lack of motive and job satisfaction and pushes them to exit the workforce. In 2021, the attrition rate of women professionals was 13%, while only 9% for men.

The World Needs Women Engineers for Sustainable Development

Engineering is a very crucial element in helping countries to achieve global sustainable development goals. Women represent half of the world's population, and their contribution is the key to unlocking innovative solutions. They can bring diversity to the work culture and lead teams to think outside the box.

Stephanie Kwolek, a female engineer, found the bulletproof fibre Kevlar, which now protects soldiers worldwide, and Josephine Cochrane created the dishwasher. These inventions took place only when the women community were encouraged to learn STEM subjects and allowed to choose their profession.

How Technology Helped Women to Pursue Career?

The growing digital environment has helped women gain awareness of tech and financial literacy. The online work culture has encouraged many women to restart their careers and provided flexibility.

Technological advancement has equipped women to become professionals and entrepreneurs. It was evident in the journey of Falguni Nayar, the founder of Nykaa, an Indian e-commerce company for beauty products.

To emphasize the importance of rapid progress in the digital economy, the UN has declared the theme of International women's day 2023 as 'DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality'. It was observed that 37% of women don't have access to internet services.

When women are involved in technology, more innovative solutions to support gender equality and cater to the needs of women can be made. Contrarily, their exclusion has significant financial consequences.

Over the last decade, the lack of women in the digital world decreased the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income nations by $1 trillion. According to the UN Women's Gender Snapshot 2022 report, by 2025, this loss will reach $1.5 trillion if no effective actions are taken.

The Potential of Women Engineers

Being a girl child or woman, they are always bound to societal constraints. They find it hard to come out of the circle and explore the available opportunities. Whenever a woman was given the resources to succeed, she proved to the world with her skills.

When Upasana Taku got her chance to learn engineering, she co-founded Mobikwik, a mobile wallet for digital payments. Marie Curie received two Nobel prizes (Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 and Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911) when her work in physics and chemistry was recognised.

There are so many female leaders who are inspiring other women to achieve great heights in life. It is the responsibility of women engineers to be role models for younger generations and eliminate the word inequality in the history of the world.

We at Skill-Lync provide equal opportunities for engineering students, irrespective of gender, to secure their dream job. Our community includes both men and women industry experts who strive to transform engineering education in India.

Dear women, Celebrate the triumphs of womanhood. Our team wishes you a Happy Women's Day.