• Question: As a girl, I am somewhat put off entering jobs in engineering due to the male-dominated environment I know I will be entering, but I do love chemistry and physics and the idea of being a chemical engineer inspires me. How can I prevent worries about sexism influencing what I do with my life?

    Asked by Tartanish to Angela, Robert, Sarah on 21 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Sarah Harris

      Sarah Harris answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Hi Tartanish,

      Don’t be put off doing what inspires you because of your gender; engineering is male-dominated now but there is a lot of work going on to encourage girls into the sector, and to improve the environment already there.

      A good way of overcoming worries would be to speak to a female engineer, who will be able to tell you about their experiences in the field. The Institution of Chemical Engineers have a careers website with case studies of female chemical engineers for you to have a look at – http://www.whynotchemeng.com/people.aspx#.VG8MVjSsXTp

      Ultimately, don’t let these worries put you off. Follow your dream!

    • Photo: Robert Bowles

      Robert Bowles answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Hi Tartanish.
      It’s a good question.
      I think the biggest thing you can do is find out more about what being a chemical engineer is now like and talk to other women who are doing that job. I think industry is more aware of the gender preconceptions than it ever was and so actively recruit from wider demographics and a range of backgrounds.

      There is a lot of information on chemical engineering on the Institute of Chemical Engineers website, including profiles of a number of women working in the industry.
      http://www.whynotchemeng.com/people.aspx#.VG8MIdKsXrw

      If you contact them they may be able to put you in touch with some of their members who are women and can give you more info and share their experiences. If you’re passionate about the subject, then go for it. Don’t let stereotypes hold you back, because the industry is always moving forward.

      It’s worth looking at this page from Tomorrows Engineers too.
      http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/_resources/documents/TE%20all%20careers%20resources.pdf

    • Photo: Angela Stokes

      Angela Stokes answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Hi Tartanish
      You should follow your dream and do what you want to do! When I started my first job I worked in a company who had 45 men and me (and a secretary who was in a different building who was female). At first it was daunting, but after a while they almost stopped thinking of me as a woman and treated me as a fellow worker. It is like anything, you need to show people what you can do, once you have done that and earned respect, gender is not an issue.
      Good luck……you are a woman and you can do whatever you want!

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