Women engineers are getting paid more than their male counterparts and are
reaching senior positions earlier, according to EMTA, the national training
organisation for engineering and manufacture.
A salary survey by the organisation finds that while women engineers in
their 20s earn slightly less than their male colleagues, by the time they are
in their 30s they often earn significantly more.
A senior female engineer aged 35 earns, on average, 8.5 per cent more than
male colleagues aged 42, £32,256 compared with £30,026, according to the
survey.
The gap widens to 11.9 per cent for women in their 40s.
EMTA CEO Dr Michael Sanderson said the survey of 14,090 engineers, including
759 women, shows there is no bias against women in engineering.
"Women account for only 15 per cent of professional engineers and
trainee engineers and those that come into the industry are perhaps more
focused and committed than some of their older male colleagues," he said.
However, the number of women in the profession remains low. And while 28.6
per cent of the female engineers surveyed were at section leader level or
above, the survey reveals few at the higher levels of responsibility.
Head of education and training affairs at the Engineering Employers’
Federation, Ann Bailey, said more work is needed to increase the number of
women engineers.
"The biggest problem is encouraging women into the sector," she
said.
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"And, if the low number [already working] is not maintained, then we
have problems."
By Quentin Reade
