Gender equality remains one of the major issues in the corporate world, and women are especially underrepresented in the electronics industry. Despite the many amazing career opportunities available to women in the UK, the country has the lowest percentage of female engineers in Europe – less than 10%, which is unfortunate. There’s abundant research confirming that companies will be more profitable if they have more women in the workplace. However, there still appears to be a gender gap in the electronics engineering industry. With the various opportunities available in electronics, women are considering a career in electronics, which is part of the bigger electrical engineering field. Here are five great reasons to consider a career in electronics, ladies.
1. More opportunities to train in electronics
Nowadays, there are more opportunities for women to train in electronics. Numerous organisations are committed to helping women excel in a traditionally male-dominated subject. For instance, the Department of Electronic Engineering at the University of York recognises the advancement of gender equality and has put in place some ways to encourage more female students to take up engineering and consider engineering as a viable career path.
The Department has also addressed the various issues adversely and disproportionately affecting women in the workplace and is committed to removing all perceived barriers preventing women from progressing in engineering. In addition, the Department understands that good working practices can benefit both staff and students, while bad working practices could adversely affect women’s careers more than that of men.
So far, the Department’s efforts have been successful. In fact, they have been awarded the Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of their work. The award recognises that aside from implementing university-wide policies, the Department has been able to successfully identify certain challenges and is actively addressing these issues.
2. Lots of opportunities in a growing automotive industry
The automotive industry is thriving these days, opening more opportunities for women to get into engineering. In addition, the industry is on the verge of innovations and new technologies, which is a good sign for electronics engineers.
These days, many car buyers demand unique and costly features, leading the automotive industry in the modern era. The automotive industry’s success is supported by factors like the availability of skilled labour at low cost, the increasing number of R&D centres, and the low-cost steel production.
Because of this, it’s not surprising why there’s growing demand for diverse automotive software engineer recruitment. However, the industry is currently faced with a skill set gap since a large chunk of the skilled women workforce has remained untapped.
More women should be represented in the electronics manufacturing industry, and increased participation and involvement from women should be encouraged. Many leaders in the automotive industry believe that recruiting and retaining female talents in management, assembly, and leadership roles could lead to huge rewards. Aside from having a strong work ethic and long-term loyalty to the company, women engineers have another distinct advantage – excellent manual dexterity, which is a must for high-precision electronics assembly.
3. A career in electronics: Grow professionally and personally
If you’re looking for a career that will allow you to develop professionally and personally, you should consider a career in Electronics. Everyday tasks could mentally challenge you. It’s not like the usual work that involves routine tasks that could lead to intellectual deterioration.
In electronics engineering, once you become an expert in your field, your boss could send you to attend conventions and seminars in faraway places. You get to explore the world, discover new cultures, and witness things you won’t otherwise see if you have chosen to work for other professions.
In addition, being an electronics engineer will allow you to take part in future development. Whether that’s the invention of the smart refrigerator or an Internet-based security system, your career will allow you to help improve people’s quality of life.
Working in the field of electronics engineering can also lead to personal growth. As you work in a fast-paced industry, you’ll learn about the value of teamwork and gain skills like leadership and problem-solving. You’ll also have improved self-confidence and a sense of responsibility. Since you will most likely work with a team, you’ll learn to work cohesively to accomplish goals, which you can apply in your personal life.
Looking for a survival guide for working women? Here you go!
4. Opportunity to be self-employed
As an electronics engineer, you can take on several different projects. Others would choose to work as a freelance, while some would prefer to go self-employed. If you take the self-employed route, you will have the freedom to choose your contracts and have the opportunity to work remotely.
As a self-employed engineer, you will still perform the typical duties of an employed engineer, but you will be working for yourself. This can be a great option for those who want to maintain some control over the projects they can complete.
Many electronics engineers will choose to work on a self-employed basis as it offers more flexibility, allowing them to design their own work schedules. Also, if you do not want to be bombarded with many projects, you can choose to tackle small engineering projects at a time, depending on your availability.
5. Enjoy a dynamic electronics career
When working as a female electronics engineer, your role comprises several different activities, depending on your position. These could include offering technical support to customers, providing technical marketing content, and more.
There are many good opportunities for a career in electronics engineering and several reasons why it is a good career choice for women. It involves a lot of multidisciplinary research that could include developing electric vehicles with generous funding and a wide scope worldwide. When you study electronics engineering, you will learn many valuable skill sets that can open you up to various career opportunities.
What’s more, the demand for electronics engineers spans around the world. You will find many opportunities across the globe to work in various engineering fields. Whether you plan on moving to another city or country, a career in electronics can help you do that while enjoying a high salary and growing personally and professionally.