'Stop trying to make girls take science': It goes against their human nature, claims psychologist

I am probably going to be shouted down for saying this but in a way I agree... My view is that men and women are completely different and therefore 50-50 representation is highly unnatural! I feel that making a big fuss about the number of women in engineering is pointless and if anything is more likely to put off people like myself who dont arent wildly feminist and just want to do a job they enjoy. I am a very creative person, I am always making things in my spare time and I always have ever since I was a child. So when an Engineering Advance Apprenticeship came up in my area when I was leaving school I took it.



I believe that less should be done to encourage women in particular to enter Engineering. There are not enough young people in engineering (I am 22 and the next youngest engineer in my company is around 30, most are at least 40). When I was at school I never even heard engineering mentioned by those responsible for advising us about our careers. It was all about sixth form and university, and that without much reference to the job you might ultimately get!



I believe that the government and the instutions and organisations should forget about gender bias and just promote engineering in schools, telling the kids what wonderful opertunities there are for creating and making things and for making a difference in the world. Then all the girls AND boys who are interested in creative satisfying jobs where they actually produce something will have the information at there disposaly to make an informed judgement.



I love my job but I know I am different from a lot of women I meet as I dont hold the same points of view as they do on what is fun... for instance in my recent holiday I made a bowl (woodturning) a blouse and a cusion (sewing) and I did lots of knitting and photography! My friends sat on a beach and sunbathed and did some shopping (I did go shopping twice too!)



:)



Grace.

My Opinion...



There is a general shortage of Engineers across the country, in many many industries. I believe all genders are being encouraged into engineering careers. 

Although the article said 'pupils with an aptitude for subjects such as physics, computing and engineering would choose them anyway' i do not think that is the case. Quite a number of students I have interacted with would be uninterested in choosing Math and Physics just because its not the 'popular' subject, particulaly with the girls. My understanding is that we in the field are trying to encourage them to explore the ideas and you never know where it may take them. Engineering and Science are very broad and there are thousands of specific subjects you could end up focusing your career on. 

You are aboslutely right Claire, when you say we also need to 'emphasise the team working and people skills required' in engineering! I would be lost without the wonderful Engineers who I work with and who have taught and are teaching me so much!!!



:)



Grace