Promotion in Enterprises: What can companies do to support women in SET careers?Examples from the UK

Who we are…how we came about…why we can do what we dowww.wiset.org.uk

we work with girls and women and employers and STEM and schools and colleges…

www.theukrc.org

WISE - Get involved

Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University

Enabling choice - in 2009 (EHRC) 75% of working women were still found in the 5 Cs

Tackling the gender pay gap - in 2008 the gender pay gap was 11% for SET professionals (UKRC). In HE in 2011 the median gender pay gap was 20.3% (ECU)

Maximising women’s potential, Responding to skills shortages, Building the UK economyMcKinsey research (2010) shows that while leaders of corporations recognise the impact of gender diversity on business performance, this belief does not translate into actions.

Meeting legal obligations

The context in the UK

The Royal Air Force

Driving force of improving long term recruitment from a demographic that no longer represents society

Improving diversity also improves capability of RAF to operate across the world

Research to understand the issues and development of a plan

Gender recruitment strategy to work in partnership with experts - UKRC, WISE and WiSET

Influencing supply chainGender champion to drive the process

Strategic and long term

North Energy Associates http://www.northenergy.co.uk/index.php

Lead from the top - Female director Hosting flexible women returner placements and transfer into real jobs

Providing role models and ambassadors Encouraging ongoing CPD for female staff

Small company - support and promotion

The key points

Ensure top down commitment

Build improvements that fit with organisational needs

Develop a plan and draw on support

Monitor and evaluate

8.7% of the UK Engineering Profession are women. Where do we come in the

list of 28 European countries surveyed?

a) 14th

b) 20th

c) 28th (ie lowest percentage in Europe)

*Figures are statistically less reliable hence need to be treated with caution

Source: UKRC’s analysis of the European Labour Force Survey (2007)

Thank you

www.wiset.org.uk

www.theukrc.org

p.m.morton@shu.ac.uk