6 Reasons Why Women are Still Underrepresented in Engineering

International Women in Engineering Day is a good opportunity to step back and look at where the industry is. There has been progress, but when you speak to people working in engineering day to day, it’s clear the same challenges still come up. At Hunter Selection, our women consultants work across engineering & manufacturing, science & technology, service & sales, and IT & digital. Through their conversations with candidates and employers, they have gained valuable insight into the real reasons why women are still underreported in engineering. Here are our conclusions and what this means in practice.

1 ) Confidence gap in applications

Claire Torrington, Hunter Selection’s Director of Development shares her expertise;

As it’s International Women in Engineering Day today I keep coming back to a stat that still says a lot: Women often only apply for a job when they meet close to 100% of the criteria, while men will go for it at around 60%.

Whether the exact numbers shift or not, the point is clear. Too often, talented women are holding themselves back, not because they can’t do the job, but because they don’t feel “ready enough”.

In engineering, that matters. This is a field that depends on new ideas, different perspectives, and people who are willing to step forward and have a go. When women don’t apply, we all miss out.

So, what can we do differently? If you’re hiring, take a look at how roles are written and shared. Are we asking for a perfect match, or are we open to potential? Are we encouraging people to apply, even if they don’t tick every box?

If you’re leading a team, it’s about creating an environment where people feel confident to step outside their comfort zone. A quick conversation, a bit of encouragement, or simply saying “you’d be great at this” can make a real difference.

And if you’re a woman thinking about your next step- this is your reminder: you don’t need to meet every single requirement to be right for a role. Skills grow. Confidence builds. But you have to take that first step.

Today is about celebrating women in engineering and everything they bring to the table. It’s also a chance to challenge the small things that hold people back. Because when more women step forward, the whole industry moves forward with them.

2) Bias and belonging in male-dominated environments

Itzel Mendoza, a consultant specialising in the Midlands region talks about unintentional bias and “feeling like an outsider” and how these still shape experiences;

As a woman from Mexico who has lived and worked in the UK and Australia, I have felt bias in different ways. Often it is unintentional. People do not always know how to respond to someone who sounds or looks different from what they are used to. That feeling of being “unexpected” is something that can easily translate to women in engineering. In environments shaped mostly by men, a woman’s voice can still catch people off guard, not because she lacks ability, but because the space was never built with her in mind.

This is the reality many women face when they enter engineering teams. Being the only woman in the room can make you feel like an outsider before you even start. Some biases come from habit, some from lack of exposure, and some from deeper issues that still need attention. There is still a long way to go, but change is possible.

Inclusivity has to be practiced from day one. Training can help teams understand how to create welcoming environments. Policies that encourage more female hires show real commitment. Onboarding should make women feel involved, supported and part of the team from the very beginning.

An inclusive engineering workplace is one where women feel seen, valued and able to thrive.

3) Inclusion must go beyond hiring

One of Hunter’s more experienced Senior Consultants, Emma Hardman explains why inclusion needs to run through the entire talent journey;

International Women in Engineering Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women across the industry while recognising that there is still work to do to address the gender imbalance in engineering.

After more than 11 years in engineering recruitment, one thing has remained consistent, engineering continues to be a male-dominated sector. While progress has been made, creating lasting change requires action at every stage of the talent journey, from attracting future talent to supporting career progression and leadership opportunities.

I completed the APSCo Inclusive Recruiter course, which provided valuable insights into creating fairer hiring processes. This included reviewing job descriptions with clients for biased language, ensuring consistency in interviews, and working with hiring managers to reduce unconscious bias throughout recruitment.

However, inclusion cannot begin and end with hiring. Real progress requires commitment from senior leadership, with diversity and inclusion embedded into company culture. Leaders play a key role in creating environments where women feel supported, valued, and able to succeed.

With engineering continuing to face skills shortages, businesses cannot afford to overlook talented individuals because of outdated barriers or perceptions. By focusing on inclusive recruitment, career development, and strong leadership, we can build a more diverse, innovative, and representative engineering workforce for the future.

4 ) Retention and structural inequality

Robyn Paul, a Senior Consultant in Hunter’s IT & Digital division shares how retention is driven by structural issues, not just hiring;

Having grown up in South Africa and then settling in the UK, I have worked in differing male dominated environments for most of my life. I have seen a range of biases, whether unconscious or in some instances even conscious.

The key for me is that inclusivity for women in STEM should not be about buzzwords, or the latest trend in hiring. It needs to be a commitment to change in a demonstrable way.

There is a national attrition drain whereby women are exiting the UK tech sector every year, predominantly driven by structural reasons. This includes a lack of progression, lack of recognition, and inadequate pay being the three most common reasons according to The Lovelace Report.

This is a complex, and deeply ingrained problem, which isn’t going to sort itself out. In order to meet industry goals, UK businesses need to implement strategic initiatives. The UK Women in Tech Taskforce are advising the government on supporting diversity in Tech.

In order to be better, we need to do better….collectively. What I see time and time again in interviews specifically, is that women will often qualify their answer by starting saying ‘I don’t have that much experience with…’, or ‘I am not an expert, but…’ and for interviews we should always talk about what we have done, rather than what we haven’t.

5 ) Early pipeline and education gaps

Becka Kingdon, Hunter’s Regional Director for Engineering & Manufacturing in the South West and East regions identifies that the pipeline problem starts early and is shaped by education and visibility;

I’ve loved seeing the market change for the better in the last 10 years of working in engineering. When I first started, less than 6% of the workforce were female and today that figure sits closer to 17%. It’s still not where it needs to be, but it’s progress.

Over the years, I’ve been part of and witnessed many different strategies aimed at improving the attraction of women into engineering. But one question keeps coming back:

We can’t attract what isn’t there .. so what’s happening right at the start of the funnel?

If we look at education, the patterns are still very clear:

• Around 75% of physics students are male
• Around 90% of health and social care students are female

So the question becomes why are these choices still so heavily divided?

The reality is that career influence starts long before college or the workplace. From a young age, we’re exposed to “gender norms” through toys, media, school environments and the role models we see around us.

Engineering is still often positioned as technical, mechanical and male-dominated, whereas careers like nursing or healthcare are seen as people-focused, relatable and more aligned with what girls are encouraged towards.

So by the time subject choices come around, many young women aren’t actively opting out of engineering, they’ve just never been shown that it’s a natural fit for them in the first place.

That brings us back to visibility. Who are the role models? Who is showing what engineering really looks like? If we want to improve attraction long term, the focus has to shift earlier:

• Introducing engineering in a more accessible and relatable way
• Showcasing the breadth of careers and real-world impact
• Increasing visibility of female engineers at all levels

And alongside that, continued investment and funding into STEM education is key. It won’t close the gap overnight, but it will shape the future pipeline.

6) Physical workplace barriers

Becky Speich, a consultant specialising in the South East, explains how inclusion isn’t just cultural, it’s physical and operational;

Workplace inclusion depends not only on culture but on the physical and practical design of work environments. Data shows why this matters. A major survey by the National Association of Women in Construction found that 60% of employers did not provide women specific PPE, and 46% of British women issued PPE received items that did not fit properly, linking poor fit to safety risks and reduced performance.

These issues are amplified by the fact that only around 1% of the UK’s manual on site construction workforce is female, despite women making up 15% of the overall construction workforce . Site facilities also play a critical role: national standards now emphasise welfare provision, such as appropriate changing rooms and sanitary facilities, as essential for retention and safety. This is applicable across the engineering industry, not just construction.

Workplaces historically designed for men create friction points that push women out. The evidence is clear: inclusion isn’t just cultural, it’s physical and practical. Addressing PPE fit, site facilities, and workspace design is fundamental to building environments where everyone can work safely and belong.

In Summary