Gilruth Calls for Action from Engineering Industry

Published date : 27 Jun 2018

Gilruth Calls for Action from Engineering Industry

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth, marked Women in Engineering Day 2018 in the Scottish Parliament this week during a debate in the chamber.

With only 9% of engineers and 18% of the technology workforce being women, the MSP spoke in support of a parliamentary motion calling for action to tackle inequality within the sector as Scotland strives towards a target of 140,000 female engineers by 2022.

Today, only 4% on Fife College’s engineering students are women.

Ms Gilruth highlighted the positive work of Diageo, one of the largest employers in the area, between their distillery at Cameron Bridge and bottling plant in Leven.

Jenny Gilruth MSP underlined the importance of the firm’s modern apprenticeship programme that has hired 158 apprentices into the company since its launch in 2006. Diageo currently have 78 modern apprentices under their wing, 31% are female.

Speaking after the debate, Ms Gilruth said:

“With 31% of modern apprentices female, Diageo’s positive apprenticeship programme offers an encouraging sign for women’s future in engineering in Scotland, but there is still much work to be done.

“Local engineering firms could be doing more work to team up with schools and hold regular talks or practical sessions with the pupils.

“Young girls across Scotland need positive female role models and ambassadors to look up as we seek to change perceptions of what being an engineer means in 2018.

“Today, just 4% of Fife College’s engineering students are women, demonstrating there is still more to be done to attract more women into engineering careers.

ENDS

Local Reporters, Glenrothes Gazette, St Andrews Citizen, Courier (Fife), LOCAL BUSINESS