Qualitative research on opportunities to improve the retention of women in engineering

Overview

The underrepresentation of women in engineering continues to be an issue. Amongst those who have entered an engineering career, women leave engineering roles at twice the rate of men. Recent quantitative research undertaken by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering UK identified that women were more likely than men to leave engineering at the mid-career stage.

The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and the Careers Research Advisory Centre (CRAC) have been commissioned by the Academy to undertake this qualitative research which aims to better understand the issues affecting women’s retention in engineering and opportunities to improve their retention, with a particular focus on how identity and intersecting characteristics impact women throughout their careers. The study includes career narrative interviews with up to 30 women, non-binary and gender-nonconforming individuals in their mid-career who are/were working in engineering roles. It will be supported by a short literature review and two workshops with expert stakeholders.

How you can help

This study will support the Academy and the profession to better understand the issues affecting women’s retention in engineering and how they could address these. It will do so by capturing the lived experiences of women who have left engineering by talking through their career journeys. The researchers at IES and CRAC are particularly keen to talk to:

■     women who trained/qualified as engineers, engineering technicians or in engineering trades and worked in an engineering role,

■     but who have since left the engineering profession (in their 30s, 40s or 50s).

Does this sound like you or someone you know? If so, please contact the research team at IES on womenengineers@ies.ac.uk to volunteer or find out more about the research.

The women that have taken part so far have found the experience beneficial and have appreciated their chance to ‘have a voice’ and tell their story.

What happens if I decide to take part?

We would like to arrange a one-hour interview with you and one of our researchers in January, February or March, at a time that suits you. We suggest using MS Teams (you will not need to download any software) but can offer alternative options if you prefer. Before the conversation, you will receive a link (URL) in your email with which you can join our session. It is recommended to use a device with a camera/webcam so that we can share our screen and have a more personable conversation, and find a quiet place so you can talk comfortably without being overheard, disturbed or distracted.

The interview will cover:

■   Your work and life history

■   How you made choices around your work as an engineer

■   What was influential in making choices or changes

■   What support you accessed when making decisions

■   What led you to work in engineering for the time you have

■   What led you to leave engineering (if you have left)

Taking part in the research is entirely voluntary, the discussion will only go ahead with your consent. You can choose how much you share and the pace of the conversation. You can choose not to answer questions or take breaks or stop if that feels right for you.

To thank you for your time, you will receive a £45 payment.

What happens to the information I share if I take part?

We will take notes of our conversation and, with your permission, record our conversation. This recording will not be shared outside of the research team. Your data will be held securely at all times, in line with GDPR. We keep separate your name and identifying data (so we can reach you) from anything else you share with us. All information is held securely on our IT server and not shared with anyone outside of the IES and CRAC research team. To protect your privacy, we will securely delete the meeting notes, any stored recording of our conversation and the file with your name and other personal details six months after the project is complete (currently anticipated to finish at the end of Summer 2026).

IES will produce a report summarising the main findings from across the interviews. This will be shared with the Royal Academy of Engineering, published and made publicly available. Individuals will not be named in the reports, nor will any information be included that could reveal their identity.

Further information on how your data will be used and your rights if you take part can be found in our privacy notice for this project here. The Royal Academy of Engineering’s approach to privacy and safeguarding of personal information can be found here.

Who can I talk to about the research?

If you have questions about the study, or would like to remove the information you have provided, please contact: Clare Huxley, IES Senior Research Fellow and project manager for this research clare.huxley@employment-studies.co.uk

Please refer to the privacy information notice for further information on who to contact with any queries about how your data will be used.

What further support is available?

Thinking and talking about your life inside and outside of work can bring up difficult experiences. Key organisations that can provide support include:

Mind: www.mind.org.uk Phone: 0300 123 3393

ADHD UK: www.adhduk.co.uk/support

Access to Work: www.gov.uk/access-to-work

Black Minds Matter: www.blackmindsmatteruk.com

The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network: www.baatn.org.uk

Mindout: www.mindout.org.uk

Rees Foundation: www.reesfoundation.org/services

Rethink: www.rethink.org/advice-and-information

SCOPE: www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support

Getting in contact

If you are interested in volunteering or finding out more about us or the research, please do contact the research team at IES on womenengineers@ies.ac.uk