International Women in Engineering Day 2024

The number of women working in engineering is on the rise.

According to not-for-profit EngineeringUK the number employed in the sector rose from 562,000 in 2010 to 936,000 in 2021, meaning they make up 16.5 per cent of the workforce.

However, with women still remaining in the minority as International Women in Engineering Day is celebrated this month (June 23), positive role models for the next generation are as important as ever.

One such role model is Kate Colebourn, director of curriculum, technical and higher education at Furness College, in Barrow, who is herself a chartered mechanical engineer.

Furness College itself has seen an increase in the number of women engineering students, with 287 studying at the college now, making up 34 per cent of the total. This is five per cent more than five years ago.

Kate developed her interest in the subject early, learning alongside her father, a mechanic.

"I'd always been very interested in why things work, how things worked and I knew I wanted to do something different,” says Kate. "It just felt normal, I used to have a little jar of nuts and bolts that I would play with on the wall while he was fixing the car and he used to give me little sheets of metal that I could add them on to and take them off.”

Originally from St Asaph, North Wales, Kate studied for a Masters in mechanical engineering at University of Leeds and then went to work for the Forestry Commission in Scotland working on wind and hydro power developments across its estate. She and her husband then moved south to work in Cumbria, Kate as an improvement engineer at James Cropper’s paper mill, in Burneside, and he as an engineer at Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon, in nearby Kendal.

Alongside her engineering work, Kate began doing an increasing amount of educational work for James Cropper and then made the move to work in education full time at Furness College. "I think there's qualities that women bring to every profession and it is that multitasking, that problem solving and a different way of thinking about things," she says.

"Strong teams need lots of different people and different lived experiences and different skills and that's what female engineers bring. Lots of people, when you say engineering, have a really clear idea of what that means. People think that means tools. As an engineer I've never worn overalls. I never wanted to be on the tools. To me, engineering is about problem solving. It's about project planning. It's about identifying root causes of problems. It's about coming up with solutions, really strong comms and really strong presentation skills. It's making sure people realise those are the core skills that make up engineering.”

Two of those beginning their career in engineering at Furness College are Devon, 17, and Siobhan, 16, both from Barrow, who are currently nearing the end of a level two diploma in mechanical engineering which began in September.

Devon grew up with engineering role models in the form of her father, a sheet metal worker who works for BAE’s shipyard in the town, and her aunt who also works there in project management. She will begin work at the shipyard herself as an apprentice electrician in September.

"The course has been very enjoyable because it isn't just one thing you're doing constantly, you are learning so many different things," she says. “It’s a very hands-on course and it suits me because I am a very hands-on person.”

Siobhan’s Godmother also works at the shipyard and she says she was encouraged to go into engineering by her grandmother, who was keen for her to succeed having never had the opportunity herself. "I've always wanted to do engineering from when I first started doing DT at secondary school,” she says. “I love the hands-on part and making things.”

Siobhan has also applied to a number of local businesses to begin a mechanical engineering apprenticeship and has also applied to work at BAE as a welder. She has previously completed work experience at Forth Engineering, in Barrow. "I feel like the tutors have helped a lot getting us to understand everything," says Siobhan. "I have had good experience in the workplace and workshop.”

She says she would encourage other women to study engineering and not be put off by it being male dominated. "I'd say to anyone just do it and take the chance,” she says.

Further north, in Whitehaven, Megan Kearney says she has no regrets over embarking on a career in engineering after initially studying business management at Leeds University.

Megan, 26, from Whitehaven, completed a six-week work placement at Shepley Engineers in the town in the second year of her degree. "I really fell in love with the people and the company," she says. In fact, she enjoyed the experience so much that she took a part-time job with Shepley, spending three days a week in West Cumbria and commuting to Leeds for the other two days to finish her degree.

"For the rest of my degree that's what I did. I spent my life on the train,” says Megan.

She graduated in 2019 and initially worked for Shepley in business development before qualifying as a project manager.

Her last two years have been spent working on the THORP steamline, which is part of the Sellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant project

"I fell in love with the work that we do and the challenges that we work in in really complex environments,” says Megan. "I feel like it's always been a company that has supported me from day one. I've always had that backing from them."

She is looking forward to working on more projects with Shepley in the future and hopes to progress through management to become a director in the company.

"I think females naturally have different skill sets to men," she says.

"I think women have very good strong communication skills and collaboration skills. As a female you have a lot of natural qualities. I am a good multitasker. I'm very organised. I think females naturally have empathy and I think that helps when you’re communicating a message to another person."