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Today, on International Women in Engineering Day, we proudly celebrate the women who shape, lead and deliver the world’s most ambitious and complex projects.
According to EngineeringUK’s May 2025 workforce report, approximately 6.4 million people work in engineering and technology across the UK – about 19.3% of the total workforce. However, women represent just 16.9% of this group, compared with 56% in non-engineering occupations. Worryingly, the number of mid-career women (ages 35–44) has declined, suggesting retention is an ongoing challenge.
From transport and energy to digital infrastructure and sustainable cities, female engineers bring essential perspectives, innovation and resilience to the heart of major project delivery.
At the Major Projects Association, we know that diversity isn’t just a matter of fairness – it’s a critical factor in project success. Inclusive teams are stronger, more adaptive, and better equipped to navigate the challenges of scale and complexity.
We’ve gathered reflections from inspiring women across our membership to mark this day – voices that remind us how far we’ve come, and how much further we must go to ensure engineering is a place where everyone can thrive.
“Women engineers bring vision, assurance, and excellence to the table. The fun of working with women has been their clarity and vision, shaping solutions that elevate projects and programmes to the next level.”
“Engineering is more than technical – it’s about people, purpose and progress. To me, it’s also about collaboration, leadership and realworld impact. I’m proud to help shape an inclusive industry where diverse voices lead innovation and drive meaningful change. Women bring unique strengths – like empathy, adaptability, and systems thinking – that are essential to solving complex challenges and shaping the future of engineering.”
“My dad opened my young eyes to the opportunity and potential of engineering as a career and wow, has that been my reality for 30 years? We need to ensure others see the wealth of possibility and impact to be made.”
“Engineering is part of the built environment sector. It plays a crucial role in the ecosystems of leading industries. Through engineering projects we can achieve most innovative solutions to tackle global challenges.”
I love my job delivering major civil infrastructure projects. Playing a part in shaping how society operates and thrives is both a privilege and a responsibility. Getting more women into the profession is essential if we are to create an inclusive environment that reflects the diversity of humankind.”
“Engineering has given me a varied, challenging and fascinating career. Our society and our planet need engineers who can see the bigger picture and understand that engineering projects are ‘means’, not ‘ends’. Women in engineering are essential: for our skills, insights and perspectives.”
As part of today’s celebration, exceptional female engineers in the UK are recognized in the WES Top 50 Women in Engineering (WE50) Awards. These awards help raise visibility and inspire future talent by celebrating leadership, innovation and impact across engineering disciplines.
Find out more about the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) here.
Next steps
Read our reports on inclusive leadership and equity in project delivery
Our seminar ‘Beyond Diversity – How Do We Make Major Projects Inclusive and Equitable?’ (read the highlights and full reports) tackled the real-world challenge of moving beyond diverse representation to achieving true inclusion and equity in major projects.
Our No More Heroes: A Major Projects Association Study Report on leadership capability highlights the shift from hero‑centric, technical leadership toward emotionally intelligent, adaptive and collaborative leadership – critical to fostering more inclusive, diverse teams and strengthening outcomes in major projects.
Browse EDI resources in our Knowledge Repository here.
Join the Inclusion Hub
The Inclusion Hub is a collaborative forum for Association members who are passionate about advancing diversity and inclusion across major projects. Find out how you can join here.
What is your organisation doing to retain women engineers at mid-career stages?
Who can you nominate or highlight today as a role model for future engineers?
How does your leadership culture support inclusion across projects?
Let’s use today not only to celebrate women in engineering but also to actively shape a more inclusive, equitable future for everyone delivering major projects.