UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC)

Did you know?

Half a million women in the UK are qualified in either science, engineering or technology (SET) - but less than a third work in those sectors.

• All of these sectors are suffering a severe skills shortage, set to get worse in the coming decades.
• It is estimated that by 2011 only one-third of the workforce will be white, male and under 45 - so there’s a real business case for a diverse workforce.
• 92% of SET directors are male compared to 87.5% in non-SET firms.
• A Fortune 500 study revealed that companies with the highest representation of women in their top management teams experienced better financial performance than those with the lowest women's representation.
• It emerged from recent research carried out by Cranfield University that the lack of females in the executive boardroom creates a perception of exclusion and makes women feel that they are unlikely to be able to build successful careers in the organisation.

The UKRC’s RETURN campaign supports qualified women scientists, engineers and technology professionals who have taken a career break to return to work in their sector. The services provided include an online course delivered through the Open University, mentoring, advice and guidance on getting ready for the workplace, work experience opportunities and help in finding permanent jobs. The UKRC has worked with over 2,000 women since 2004 and helped nearly a third of those to return to work or study in SET. To help women at all career stages, the UKRC provides mentoring and career development training and encourages women to raise their profile through networking, the media and other opportunities.

Services for employers

The UKRC works directly with employers in industry to promote better employment practice and workplace culture, to embed equality and diversity. The aim is to help employers attract more women into SET, to retain women by improving their workplace experience and to fix the ‘leaky pipeline’ at critical points when women often fail to progress or leave, never to return. The UKRC looks to persuade employers not only that it is good practice to promote diversity and inclusion and should form part of their corporate social responsibility, but also that it makes sound business sense.
 
Through the UKRC’s accreditation and award schemes, such as the UKRC Quality Mark and CEO Charter, it is able to reward and acknowledge those employers who are working hard to improve their diversity and inclusion.

More information can be found at UK Resource Centre for Women in SET.