Engineering is still primarily a "Boys Club". Only 20% of US engineering degrees are earned by women; only 9% of American engineers are women.

In the US and Europe, women have come a long way culturally, but most people still expect that most of the burden of housekeeping, childcare, school interface, looking after aging parents and similar family duties are done by the woman.

In the industrial automation business, an engineering career frequently demands long hours and lots of travel - tough for a man, harder for a woman. It's not discrimination, but rather a systemic pressure that most people can't do much about. It's difficult to keep the family balanced when the job requires an emergency plant visit at 2 am, or a month overseas on sales or service jobs.

Women engineers experience the most problems when it comes to moving up the corporate ladder. The systemic pressure, far more than any overt discrimination, adds layers to the proverbial "glass ceiling".

An insightful article in Control Magazine (weblink below) provides this list (summarized). Women engineers want to be:

• Treated with respect, as professionals
• Given the chance to prove themselves
• Have their thinking processes accepted
• Treated as peers and part of the team
• Mentored by experienced seniors
• Encouraged
• Not overlooked

Engineering needs more women who can bring innovative ideas to the industry, intuitive skills and balance, different ways to solve many difficult problems that really need "the female difference". Hundreds of colleges, organizations, and businesses have created programs, workshops, and conferences to increase the number of women in engineering.

If you are a woman and wish to utilize some of these resources - follow the web links below.

What women engineers want

The future is female

IEEE - Women in Engineering

Society of Women Engineers