Let’s Celebrate International Women In Engineering Day!

On 23 June we celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, and the amazing work being done by women engineers around the world! International Women in Engineering Day, or INWED for short, is a day that serves to promote gender diversity in engineering. According to the Society of Women Engineers, in 1990 women only represented 9% of individuals working in architecture and engineering. In 2023, that figure had only grown to 16.7%. INWED plays an important role in encouraging more young women to consider a career in engineering.

International Women in Engineering Day began in the United Kingdom in 2014 as a campaign from the Women’s Engineering Society. However, INWED’s roots date all the way back to 1919, following the end of World War 1. During the war, many men enlisted in the military, leaving a significant labor shortage in the UK. To fill the gap, women were recruited to work in roles that were typically occupied by men, such as engineering and mechanical work. After the war had ended, and the world was beginning to return to normal, these women were under pressure to leave the workforce, but they were determined to keep and continue their careers! They formed the Women’s Engineering Society, to advocate that engineering is a rewarding job for both men and women! Over 100 years later, we celebrate International Women in Engineering Day to acknowledge the strides made towards gender equality in engineering, while still recognizing and overcoming current challenges and obstacles.

Since INWED was launched, it has grown enormously and has become a platform to showcase the incredible work of women engineers across the globe. Here are just a few of the ways you can celebrate INWED this year:

• Get involved on social media! Tell your stories, show your work, and join the conversation with #INWED24. You can also use #INWED24 to view other women engineers’ work, and help promote it by interacting and sharing their content!
• Follow the INWED Big Weekend! Follow along as INWED announces the winners of the “Top 50 Women in Engineering”, and attend their INWED Webinar!
• Get involved with women in engineering societies! One example is IEEE WIE. TryEngineering is a proud partner of IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE), who are a global network of IEEE members and volunteers dedicated to promoting women engineers and scientists, and inspiring girls around the world to follow their academic interests in a career in engineering and science. To learn more about IEEE WIE and their mission, be sure to visit their website.