WFEO WIE webinar on Female Retention and Leadership in Engineering

The WFEO Committee on Women in Engineering in collaboration with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) organized the webinar “Female Retention and Leadership in Engineering” on 26 November 2021.

Executive Summary

In the global economy, engineers play a key role in the overall economic development for countries and regions. Unfortunately, the engineering sector is currently experiencing a huge skills gap, which continues to widen yearly. The rapid emergence of Artificial Intelligence, digitization and automation further underscores new and rapidly changing requirements needed in the workplace and the lack of available talent to fill those gaps.

The skills, talents, perspectives and capacities of females, particularly in the engineering and the technical sector, are not adequately mobilized nor optimized to be a part of the critical mass needed to bridge the gaps.

Continuous Capacity Building efforts are expected to address the shortage of some of these skills. However, in order to be effective, the efforts must intrinsically embrace Diversity and Inclusivity, in order to nurture a sustainable future skills pipeline.

The WFEO-WIE, in partnership with various global organisations, is therefore hosting a series of short bi-monthly webinars (2 speakers including discussions for 30 minutes) on various topics around its Theme 1. Discussions are expected to stimulate exchange of ideas and examine problems/solutions from a female viewpoint. It is expected that these discussions will serve as a sharing forum and build up the skills and confidence for aspiring and practicing females in the technology space.

Significantly, the series, though anchored by WEFO-WIE, is a collaboration with INWES, FAEO and select UN high level representatives, leaders and speakers. In this way, the Committee expresses her diversity and seeks to build strong networks of females across borders and disciplines in STEM, while conveying the message of inclusivity. Also, the visibility of such speakers is expected to enhance the attraction and retention of female gender in engineering.

Host

Yetunde Holloway, Chair of WFEO Committee on Women in Engineering (WIE)

Moderator

Leong Wai Yie, Chair of WIE Theme 1 “Engineering Workforce Capacity building- to increase diversity and inclusivity in the future skills pipeline”, IET Malaysia IR4.0 Technical Networks

Opening Remarks

Prof. Dawn Bonfield, Deputy Chair, WIE and Chair of WIE Theme 4 “Working in Partnership to address the Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular emphasis on Goal 5 and its relationship with the other Goals”

Speakers

Ania Lopez, Member of the WFEO Executive Council and Chair of WIE Theme 3 “Engineering Strategic Indicators” – Female engineers: attaining, maintaining and raising the bar
Seema Singh, INWES Board Member (South Asia) and 2018-2020 Vice President (Education & Research) – Women in engineering: aspirations & constraints, threats and opportunities

Closing Remarks

Enyonam Kpekpena, Manager, ICT PM Electricity Company of Ghana Ltd and Chair of WIE Theme 2 “Engineering Workforce Capacity building- to encourage female engineering retention and leadership”

The recording is available by clicking on the below image.

For more information:

WFEO Committee on Women in Engineering (WIE) webpage

Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) website

International Network for Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) website