On June 23, 2018, Engineers Canada joins individuals and organizations around the world in celebrating International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), and challenges all engineering stakeholders to take action, #RaisingTheBar to achieve 30 by 30 and increase the number of women in engineering.
On June 23, 2018, Engineers Canada joins individuals and organizations around the world in celebrating International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), and challenges all engineering stakeholders to take action, #RaisingTheBar to achieve 30 by 30 and increase the number of women in engineering.
30 by 30 is Engineers Canada’s goal to raise the percentage of newly licensed engineers who are women to 30 per cent by the year 2030—a number that is currently at 17 per cent nationally. To achieve 30 by 30, the Canadian engineering profession calls on engineering firms, academic institutions, government agencies, associations, and other organizations to take a leadership role in addressing the barriers to women that exist in the engineering profession.
This year, in celebration of INWED, Engineers Canada has launched two videos profiling women who are making a difference in their communities through engineering. Engineers Canada President Annette Bergeron, MBA, FCAE, FEC, P.Eng., and University of Ottawa engineering graduate Midia Shikh Hassan share their experience in engineering and describe why it’s important to achieve 30 by 30.
Engineers Canada encourages others to join Bergeron and Hassan in celebrating INWED. Film your own selfie-style video and tell us why you think it’s important to get more women into engineering and to achieve 30 by 30. Share your video on social media with the hashtags #30by30, #INWED18, and #RaisingTheBar.
To understand and meet the needs of the Canadian economy and its people, the engineering profession should reflect the diversity of the population it seeks to serve. To this end, women’s participation is key to providing creativity and innovation in the way we approach and think about Canada’s future.
The work of building a diverse and inclusive engineering profession includes providing effective and research-based support mechanisms for women once they enter the profession. While the 30 by 30 goal relates to recruitment, there is a need to include efforts in the retention and professional development of women within the profession. We are calling on engineering stakeholders to invest in training and development programs for women that improve career satisfaction, strengthen skills, and provide profitable gains for employers and organizations.
Along with an organizational culture that values employees’ contributions, discourages harassment and discrimination, and policies that aid career transitions and enable work-life balance, engineering workplaces will be more welcoming to women and other underrepresented groups, and will be places where they can thrive.
Learn more on the Engineers Canada website, or contact Cassandra Polyzou, Interim Manager, Diversity and Outreach at Cassandra.polyzou@engineerscanada.
