Engagement Team in Action: International Women in Engineering Day

Written by Tabby Hanlon-Scott (Sector Engagement Lead)

For this year's International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), I was lucky enough to be invited onto a panel at an event hosted by University College Birmingham (UCB) and the Association of Colleges (AoC) to talk all things FE–HE–industry collaboration. Despite the stifling heat, the atmosphere was brilliant. The room was full of people genuinely committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering, and it was great to see a few familiar faces from our 365 Faces of STEM community. 

What does good FE–HE collaboration look like?

One of the big questions put to the panel was: "What does good FE–HE collaboration actually look like?" I was pleased to highlight some of the fantastic work happening in North Wales, where initiatives like the North Wales Tertiary Alliance are working hard to strengthen collaboration between FE and HE and ensure that learners, including those furthest from opportunity, can explore the full range of options open to them. 

We also explored whether providers are teaching in ways that appeal to diverse learners. There’s a lot of innovation happening across the sector right now: new delivery models, accelerated engineering degree programmes, and more flexible entry routes that open the door to people who might otherwise be shut out. It’s encouraging to see, and it will make a difference. 

Using engineering intelligence to drive change

The theme of INWED this year was ‘Engineering Intelligence’, and Fiona McGarry (Make UK) shared an inspiring take on it – framing it around how we ask and respond to the difficult questions that need to be addressed. Who is leaving the sector? Why are they leaving? Where are we letting them down? If we’re serious about change, we need to use this intelligence and insight to support women not only to enter engineering, but to stay, thrive, and move into leadership.  

Inspiring stories from women in engineering

Another standout moment was hearing from three remarkable engineers (Santina Bunting, Lucy Yelland, and Puja Hazlehurst) whose journeys into engineering were – and continue to be – all very different, but all are united by a desire to make engineering better for the next generation by being visible, relatable role models. 

It also became clear throughout the day that there's a real consensus that engagement must start at a young age. Girls need to see people like them in these roles and understand the breadth of opportunities available, and the sooner that can start the better. Resources like Enginuity’s Girls Can Engineer book in collaboration with Pertemps are so important and can really help. They break down sectors, showcase real women, and shows that yes, girls really can engineer. 

It was refreshing to see so many male allies in the room - something that isn’t always the case at events celebrating women. Allies matter. With men making up four out of every five people in the sector, we simply can’t shift the dial without them. Not just as supportive colleagues, but as advocates, sponsors and challengers. Real change is a team effort. 

Looking ahead: collaboration for a better future

INWED is always a great moment to celebrate, but it’s also a reminder that there’s still work to do. We need to make sure the women entering engineering today are still here next year, and the year after, and the year after that. The conversations at UCB left me feeling hopeful and motivated to achieve this. It’s clear that if we all continue collaborating, FE, HE, industry, employers, educators, allies, the future of engineering looks brighter for everyone.