Why gender diversity matters in driving innovation in engineering

Rebecca Neill, Head of Project Development at hydrogen production firm Hygen Energy, said ensuring that more women are represented is key to creating an inclusive and innovative industry that benefits everyone.

Engineering is a field that has long been dominated by men, but Rebecca said it’s important to recognise the important contributions that women have made and continue to make in the industry.

“Things have changed, and you see a lot more younger female engineers coming through due to it becoming more normalised in schools and a shift in the workplace, but rightly or wrongly, it’s still a largely male field,” she said.

“So much so, that often you’re the only one sitting in a room and I think it takes a certain type of person to be okay with that.

“I would love to see more women represented in engineering and the positive thing is that the industry is very open to it and ready for it."

“Diversity of thought is a massive thing in engineering in terms of innovation and because you don't get to a positive solution if you all think in the same way. The more variety you can have in that room, the better the solution you'll get to in the end.”

Rebecca, 26, studied electrical engineering at university and worked for Northern Power Grid, Fluor and Renewable Connections before joining Hygen.

“My interest in engineering largely came from my mum who was also an engineer,” she said. “I always loved technology and maths at school and building stuff using Lego. At that time, I didn't know it wasn’t normal to be a female engineer.

“When I graduated from university, I was the only female to graduate on my course in a cohort of about 60. I think the figures for the number of women in engineering were the same as when my mum graduated 30 years ago.

“I always say that if a woman is an engineer, they must really like engineering, because if you don’t, you would go and do something more ‘normal’. You would only do it because you really wanted to.

“My message to any female considering a career in engineering is that they're capable of doing anything anyone else can.

“It’s a great career as it’s so varied and opens so many doors. There are loads of different areas you can work in, and it teaches you some great skills, such as problem solving, which can not only be applied to engineering, but anything else.”