Engineering news
While engineering companies are working to create a better gender balance in the engineering profession, ethnic diversity, along with support for LGBT and disabled employees, is falling by the wayside, according to two reports to be published by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
The recommendations will be discussed with representatives of many of the UK's best known engineering companies, including Rolls Royce and BAE Systems, at a launch event at The Crystal, Royal Victoria Dock.
The Diversity and inclusion in engineering survey report 2015 points to the need to focus on diversity in all its forms, as well as gender.
Of the companies surveyed, 96% anticipate difficulty in recruiting in the future and would like to broaden their recruitment pool; 83% see diversity as critical to enhancing their capacity for innovation and creativity and 76% see it as crucial to tackling the skills shortage.
While gender must continue to be a key area of focus, says the survey, the profession ought to do more to understand and address barriers that might inhibit other underrepresented groups from joining and remaining in the engineering profession. Extending the focus on diversity and inclusion activity beyond gender could be one way to further address the engineering skills shortage – the UK needs 1.8 million more engineers by 2020.
People from ethnic minorities make up 25% of the UK's primary school children, 25% of engineering graduates and 12% of the working age population but account for only around 6% of those in employed as professional engineers.
Bola Fatimilehin, head of diversity at the Royal Academy of Engineering, told PE: “There is now a strong and persuasive business case illustrating that a focus on increasing diversity and inclusion not only encourages underrepresented groups into organisations, it also leads to increased creativity and innovation. As other sectors raise their game in taking action to seek out, recruit and retain minority ethnic, disabled, LGBT and female talent, so too must engineering.”
The second report, Increasing diversity and inclusion in engineering – a case study toolkit, provides ideas and guidance on building diversity in the engineering profession. It includes 17 case studies from across the engineering sector, highlighting best practice.
The report includes many examples where engineering companies, including Airbus and Network Rail, are actively supporting diversity and inclusion through the development of staff networks, leaders and women; by reviewing their strategy and approaches; and measuring and monitoring the impact.
“Encouragingly, many organisations now address diversity and inclusion as a business imperative – to be addressed like any other area of business,” said the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Allan Cook, chairman of Atkins and chair of the Academy’s Diversity Leadership Group, said: “Diversity work by engineering companies is having a positive impact, but there is still some way to go in developing truly inclusive workplaces.
"It is encouraging to see work being done to address barriers faced by lesbian and gay people, and it would be good to see more in relation to ethnic minorities. We also need to become smarter at recruiting and retaining disabled people, and people from any background with the prerequisite skills.”