International Women in Engineering Day is on 23rd June, 2023. In preparation for this event, NMITE (New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering) has been exploring this year’s theme: #makesafetyseen and it has asked its students for their views on women in engineering.
NMITE is on a mission to diversify the engineering industry by providing graduates that are work ready but by actively recruiting and supporting women in engineering to help address the gender imbalance that has long been prevalent in the industry.
This is partly promoted through a combination of innovative learning styles and curriculum. Here, NMITE equips its graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their chosen careers. NMITE’s vision is to deliver a different model of engineering higher education, the organisation was inaugurated on 19 October 2018.
Professor Beverley Gibbs, Chief Academic Officer at NMITE, has commented on the aims and values of #makesafetyseen: “We know that safety only really works when it works for everyone. From safety signage that works for colleagues with colour vision deficiency, to PPE that fits the shapes and sizes of women’s bodies, inclusive safety practices that protect all engineers as they go about their important work is non-negotiable. Engineering is about making the world a better and ultimately safer place.”
A second academic, Professor Gary Wood, Academic Director at NMITE, adds: “We need everyone involved in engineering – including the hidden figures such as Dorothy Vaughan – if we are to succeed at improving the wellbeing of the public and engineers themselves.”
Two of the student respondents, Finlay Neate and Elise Cummings, are both part of NMITE’s founding ‘Pioneer Cohort’. The two are set to become the first NMITE Engineers when they graduate in 2024. The students are also part of NMITE’s Women in STEM society which is currently being developed with the aim of enhancing students’ experience. The overall mission is to support, empower and facilitate women to succeed and advance in STEM fields.
One of the ideas behind #makesafetyseen is to improve the gender balance in engineering and by ensuring more women are part of the design teams that keep environments safe and secure. To facilitate this there needs to be safe spaces for women and other underrepresented groups, through a variety of activities and regular opportunities to learn from successful female engineers.
An example of a successful female engineer is Elise Cummings, who is Vice President of the NMITE Women in STEM Society. Cummings says: “For me, the most exciting thing about being an engineer is the problem solving and being able to see how your work improves the lives of others, making it feel like you can make a difference in the world. I am currently exploring this as a student, through NMITE’s model of always working towards a goal with an industry or community partner in our modules.”
