Female students emerging as leaders in tomorrow’s engineering workforce

New research by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) highlights emerging patterns in how girls are exploring engineering pathways. ‘The Future is Engineering: What Young People Really Think’ indicates that while the profession remains male‑dominated, girls are slightly more likely than boys to research careers in biomedical engineering — a field that combines technology, healthcare and innovation.

The study found that 1.24% of girls explored biomedical engineering, compared with 1.09% of boys. This is part of a wider trend of growing interest in engineering, which now ranks as the third most popular of 21 university subject areas looked into by young people in the UK. Aerospace and aviation are the most popular engineering sectors (1.73%), closely followed by mechanical engineering (1.70%).

Although boys still show more interest in engineering degrees overall (14% compared with 4% of girls), the findings suggest a narrowing gender gap in emerging engineering fields.

The research also shows that engineering-minded students - those who have already shown interest in engineering subjects or sectors - tend to be more proactive in exploring their future careers. They are more likely to engage with employers, attend careers events and visit universities, placing greater value on practical experience and understanding their future career opportunities.

Engineering-minded students are more likely to see themselves as strong problem-solvers and confident with numbers. 68% describe themselves as strong problem-solvers, compared with 59% of non-engineering students, while 47% report confidence with numeracy, compared with 35% of their peers.

Click here to read the full report.