Get involved with Women in Engineering

Our world is made by engineers, society’s problem solvers.

The best engineering team must be as diverse as the society they work in. Diversity is proven to generate better performing teams, yet in engineering, females remain significantly under-represented.

At UQ, here’s what we know:

• Employers of engineering graduates are working towards gender balanced and inclusive workplaces, as diversity leads to better ideas, collaboration and outcomes aligned with strategic success.
  However, the number of females graduating from engineering will not meet industry demand.

• The number of Queensland female high school students eligible to study engineering at UQ could fill every available first-year placement four times over.

• In 2018, there were over 19,680 year 12 female students who studied Chemistry, Physics, Maths B or C. Over 60% of the students achieved a High Achievement or Very High Achievement in these subjects, indicating they would also achieve the required entry for UQ Engineering.

At UQ, the percentage of females studying undergraduate engineering remained approximately 18% for many years. To meet the demand of industry and create a more diverse and inclusive team of engineers, UQ realised a much bigger effort would be required.

The UQ Women in Engineering (WE) Program was founded in 2013.

Why partner with us?

Our Program Partners are promoted on all of our materials and acknowledged at our events – a proud display of their commitment. WE work collaboratively with you to guide the program and our strategic direction to reach our shared goal. WE have multiple opportunities for your organisation to connect and engage with prospective and current students to support and build our pipeline of female talent.

WE have a...

• track record that speaks for itself.
  In 2019 alone, WE have engaged with over 2500 female high school students across 50 events, which is more than double the number of female students in 2017 and 1000 more than 2018. WE have increased our percentage of females commencing Engineering at UQ this year to 25%.

• recognised brand with extensive contacts.
  WE engages with more than 200 high schools and the list keeps growing. WE are strongly positioned to keep growing the female engineering talent pool and expanding our reach regionally too.

• dedicated team.
  Our program consists of two dedicated staff members, including one engineer and twenty student leaders who are all motivated current engineering students keen to share their passion with prospective students and support our current cohort. We are dedicated to achieving our ambitious target of 30% female enrolment. 

• commitment to sharing knowledge.
  While UQ has cemented its position as the University of Choice for women studying engineering in Queensland, our goal is to see other universities successfully grow their female enrolments. WE established the University Collaboration Workshop in 2016, bringing together university networks, industry and other organisations at a biennial event.