Perceptions vs. Realities for Women in Engineering

It's not the pipeline, It's the System. June 23rd is celebrated as 'International Women in Engineering Day" #INWED Sadly the harsh reality, engineering colleges in India produce the highest number of women in STEM graduates/engineers and many of them actually do make it to the workforce. The real challenge is their retention and progression. With 2+ decades in tech and now consulting for tech companies on their Gender Equity Strategy, I’ve seen this challenge firsthand. The issue isn’t talent availability, it’s systemic. In most households, a woman’s career is still seen as optional. That mindset and bias bleeds into workplaces, shaping how women are hired, retained, and promoted. So what can organisations do, 1. Relook at org culture and design. Are your systems, policies, and leadership norms built equitably to support who stays, rises and how. 2. Representation matters, especially in especially in mid and senior levels, invest in retention and have hiring goals across grades. 3. Move from gendered to gender neutral policies. Eg. Maternity to Parental Leave Policy that supports all care-givers. Reframe workplace policies from “women-centric benefits” to equitable caregiving support that normalise shared responsibility and reduce bias. 4. Women in Tech Returnee programs - I've seen immense success in these programs, that offer companies experienced tech talent with a little investment. #Vapasi from Thoughtworks, #Spring from Publicis Sapient are two examples 5. Conduct Stay Interviews, Not Exit Interviews. Understand why women leave and what it takes for them to stay and grow and act on the inputs. 3. A Clear Career Progression Path with mentorship and sponsorship - Bias in growth opportunity for #WIT is real, if there is no intentional support to overcome these bias, talent walks away. 4. I Need to See More Like Me! There is a lack of role models. Accelerated Women in tech leadership programs, fast-tracking the leadership journey of high potential women are some ways to address this. 5. Collective Ownership. Gender Diversity in tech is not a HR, leadership or DEI responsibility. Make it the very fabric of the org. to drive shared accountability. 6. Data is not just diagnostic, it's directional. It guides us on investments to be made, unseen bias and where and what needs to change, it's your mirror don't ignore it. #Inclusion is a organisational capability and leaders are it's torch bearers. Their actions, direction and decisions every single day, signal what truly matters. The Women in tech, talent pool exists. The question is, are you ready to retain, grow, and lead with them? #WomenInTech #WIT #GenderEquity #DiversityInTech Diversity Simplified Image description: A newspaper article titled “It’s Not the Pipeline, It’s the System” from Times of India, Bangalore edition which highlights the gender gap in engineering.

I don't like to talk about being a female engineer. I don't think it's valuable. When people ask me what it's like being a woman in technology, typically I say: "I do a good job and people respect me for it." When you do that over and over, it adds up. Being a girl has nothing to do with the quality of my work. But over the past 4 years, I’ve been actively discouraged from pursuing more technical roles. Being told things like: "You should consider sales, you'd make a great AM." "You should consider marketing, you're good at it." and above all - "You're just not technical enough." I'm sure some of those comments were well intended. But the thing is - being an engineer is HARD. You need to continuously learn the entirety of your career. you break stuff. you get hands on. you make mistakes. that's what makes an engineer, an engineer. It takes a lot of courage to do that ... and keep doing it. If you doubt yourself and the path you chose for ONE SECOND. thinking things like: you aren't good enough. you aren't smart enough. you aren't technical enough. and maybe, being less technical sounds kind of nice. Maybe those people that told you to consider something else - Maybe they were right. Maybe you would do better there. Maybe you would be happier there. It takes doubting yourself for ONE second. But I don’t want to go into sales. And I don’t want to go into marketing. I want to be an engineer. Over 50% of women leave tech by the age of 35. People wonder why... I don't wonder. Do you?

Hot take: We're solving the wrong problem. Everyone's focused on getting more women into engineering programs and through the front door of civil, mechanical, electrical, and environmental firms. But here's what I'm seeing from my work with AEC organizations: The issue isn't the pipeline. It's the leaky bucket. We're burning through talented women engineers during internships, co-ops, and those critical first 2-3 years. They're leaving not because they can't design bridges, analyze structural loads, or manage environmental compliance, but because they're exhausted from fighting the same battles day after day, week after week, year after year. Think about it: What happens when a brilliant woman engineer gets her dream internship at a civil firm, only to spend 10 weeks being overlooked in client meetings, having her technical solutions credited to male colleagues, or being sent to fetch coffee while the guys get to present the project analysis? She doesn't just leave that company. She questions whether engineering is for her at all. My mom started teach at the start of integration in South Carolina in 1969. She always said a good teacher finds ways for ALL students to succeed, while a poor teacher fails most of their class. Same principle applies here. Organizations that consistently retain women engineers aren't just "lucky" they're intentionally creating environments where women can add value, be seen, and belong from day one. Question for the engineering leaders in my network: What's one specific change your organization made that actually moved the needle on retention? Not recruitment but retention. Drop your experiences below. Let's stop reinventing the wheel and start sharing what actually works. #WomenInEngineering #Retention #EngineeringLeadership #LeakyTalentPipeline #PositiveHireCo

Innovation knows no gender. Reflecting on my journey as an engineer over the past 25 years, from stepping into the workforce to witnessing the remarkable strides women have made today, I am struck by both the progress achieved and the many challenges that persist. When I started my career in the late 90s, women engineers were a handful and today, I'm heartened to see more women not only entering the field but also pioneering innovations and driving meaningful change. ➡️ However, looking at the numbers, in 2023, men outnumbered women in global engineering by 86.3% to 13.7%. And despite the demand for tech skills, women constitute only 28% of engineering graduates globally. In STEM fields, they make up 33% of researchers but hold just 12% of national science academy memberships. ➡️The leaky STEM pipeline begins early and persists over time. It is not just enough to keep feeding the pipeline by increasing the number of female students. It is imperative to work towards breaking gender stereotypes through early investment in reskilling and the promotion of STEM education. Apart from making STEM education more fun and engaging, introduction to female role models and mentors can help change stereotypical perceptions related to these subjects and inspire more girls to choose and work in the area. ➡️I see technology as an enabler here. Achieving equal representation of women in the tech industry requires a collaborative effort from organisations, academia, and government bodies. At the organisational level, tech firms should focus on creating supportive structures that not only attract but also retain and nurture female professionals. Flexible working policies, improved leave and well-being benefits, and support networks serve as key factors in promoting women in the workplace. Investing in training and mentorship programs is essential to equip high-potential women technologists with the necessary skills for leadership roles. Initiatives like involving female employees in the recruitment process, hosting career fairs, and offering internship programs can help organisations move towards a more gender-balanced workforce. The future of engineering is bright, and women are an integral part of that future. By continuing to support and celebrate women in engineering, we are investing in a world where innovation knows no gender, and where the contributions of all are valued and recognized. #InternationalWomenInEngineeringDay 🎉✨

Being qualified isn’t enough for women in STEM. Until we fix the system, leadership will remain out of reach. The barriers are real: 1️⃣ Lack of Representation ↳ Women in leadership roles are still the minority. ↳ When you don’t see role models, it's harder to envision your own path. 2️⃣ Bias in Promotion Decisions ↳ Women are judged more harshly for being assertive or ambitious. ↳ Leadership is often associated with traits stereotyped as “masculine.” 3️⃣ Work-Life Balance Expectations ↳ Men, however, rarely face the same scrutiny. ↳ Women are expected to “prove” they can handle leadership and caregiving. 4️⃣ Networking Gaps ↳ Without sponsors and mentors, career growth stalls. ↳ The best opportunities happen in rooms women are often excluded from. 5️⃣ Perception vs. Performance ↳ They have to over-perform just to be seen as equally competent. ↳ Women’s achievements are often undervalued compared to their male peers.    The Solution? → Companies must actively sponsor and promote women into leadership. → Women in STEM must take up space, seek mentors, and build strong networks. → Allies must call out biases and create inclusive work environments. It’s time to stop treating leadership as an exception for women in STEM.  What’s been your biggest challenge in career growth? Drop it in the comments! Watch the full podcast episode with Anu Chandrasekar Link in common section #WomenInSTEM #Leadership #CareerGrowth

Perception economics, the idea that perceptions shape economic outcomes, plays a crucial role in how we navigate our careers. These perceptions are not just abstract; they directly impact hiring, promotions, pay equity, and even workplace dynamics. How does perception economics affect women? HIRING Women are often perceived differently than men during recruitment. Descriptors like "supportive" and "agreeable" are commonly used for women, while men are seen as "competent" and "ambitious." This bias influences recruiter behavior and limits opportunities for women to showcase their potential. PAY GAP Women earn 79 cents for every dollar paid to men, a disparity shaped by occupational sorting influenced by societal norms and discrimination. Even within the same roles, pay gaps persist due to biased perceptions of value and contribution. Women also tend to ask for less. If this is you - follow Jacob Warwick, he gives great advice in this area. REPRESENTATION Women remain underrepresented in leadership roles, especially during economic downturns. Perceptions of fairness and capability often disadvantage women, leading to missed opportunities for representation in leadership. HOW WE HURT OURSELVES Women undervalue their skills and accomplishments, applying only for roles they feel 100% qualified for—compared to men who apply at 60% qualification levels. This self-perception gap limits career growth and perpetuates inequities. Why does this matter? Perception economics drives workplace inequities that result in unrealized potential and underutilized talent. (We're leaving money and opportunities on the table.) Addressing these biases is not just about fairness—it’s about tapping into the full potential of the workforce.

Women in STEM jobs earn $15,000 less per year on average than their male counterparts. In my instances, I have been the “first” or the “only” woman (or woman of colour) in production floors, engineering teams, and leadership meetings. Here are some lesser-known stats about women's participation in the STEM workforce in the USA: ❌ 1 in 3 women in STEM consider leaving after becoming a mother due to workplace challenges. ❌ Women earn 53% of STEM-related college degrees but hold only 28% of STEM jobs in the workforce. ❌ 50% of women in STEM careers leave their jobs by mid-career due to toxic workplace culture, bias, and lack of opportunities. ❌ Women hold only 16.5% of engineering jobs and 26% of computing jobs. ❌ Female STEM entrepreneurs receive less than 3% of VC funding despite outperforming male-led startups in revenue generation per dollar invested. The only exception is that participation of women in STEM roles grew by 31% from 2011 to 2021, outpacing men, whose growth rate was 15%. But it is too small for growth. Spark Careers is committed to empowering women and minorities to advance in their careers. The talent pipeline is broken, and we have to fix it. Forget the glass ceiling; I think we need to focus on the cracked “glass foundation.” Here are the challenges: 👉 Leadership gaps: Executive roles remain overwhelmingly male-dominated. 👉 Visibility in research: In fields like orthopaedic science, 86% of first-author credits still go to men. 👉 Retention struggles: Women enter STEM but face systemic barriers that push them out. Unless we address gender bias, funding gaps, and workplace culture, we cannot bring millions of talented women back into STEM. Here's how this issue can be solved: ✅ Mentorship & sponsorship: Women need more than encouragement; they need exceptional mentors and sponsors who will support them all the way. ✅ Fair hiring & promotions: Getting women into STEM isn’t enough; we must create pathways for them to lead. ✅ Representation matters: Elevating female voices in research and leadership changes the game for future generations. Women in STEM aren’t only filling seats; they’re shaping the future. But real equity requires deliberate action. Who’s a woman in STEM who’s inspired you? Tag and celebrate them in the comments. P.S.- DM or email me at hello@sparkcareers.us now for any type of assistance. #Women #STEM #Leadership #Diversity #womenempowerment #USA