Addressing skills shortages across engineering disciplines is a topical issue, with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) creating its own Equality and Diversity Steering Group .
The focus of this group is to presumably to expand the demographic of engineering, traditionally male dominated workplaces, although the strategic objectives of the IMechE focus more on general growth of membership.
As part of this strategy the institution flagship publication Professional Engineering (PE) would be a useful tool.
This, however, is the editor’s comment from PE’s September’s edition (2016)
“Last month I was at a conference on engineering for developing economies. There were some great presentations about initiatives in places such as Africa, where the need for competent engineers is great. Among these a young Muslim woman, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, gave a thought provoking and entertaining presentation on process safety.
“Not only is an engaging presentation on process safety an achievement in itself, for a young Muslim woman to do so in front of an audience of predominantly male and middle aged engineers was a triumph. Abdel-Magied, who is a mechanical engineer who works on offshore rigs in Australia, was competent, confident and crushed stereotypes.”
“Her presence on stage at a major international conference in London was legitimate and more than points at the more diverse future for the profession.”
This is the editor of the IMechE’s flagship publication. Thankfully the online article is for members only and prospective female members will be spared this.
The Editor finds it a “Triumph” that a woman (and a Muslim woman at that) can not only deliver a presentation, she can also do it in front of men. He also makes a point of the fact that she was “competent”. I am assuming that Ben Sampson didn’t pat Abdel-Magied on the backside and tell her to keep sticking at it.
It is possible that no one proof reads the editorials in PE, it would be worse if they do.
The Equality and Diversity Steering Group clearly has its work cut out and if promoting engineering to a diverse audience is the goal at some point the engineering community will realise that the traditional method putting a hard hat on a pretty girl is not going to get it done
