Celebrating women in engineering
23 June
We're proud to support the amazing contributions of women engineers. From ground breaking innovations to inspiring leadership, women in engineering continue to make a difference.
Women make up just 17% of the engineering and tech workforce, highlighting the need for stronger representation. Of course, we promote women in engineering all year round, not just for INWED. However, this international day is an opportunity to join voices across the world, advocating for change together.
INWED 2026 is inspiring the next generation into STEM with the theme, Engineering intelligence.
Things to think about
While observing INWED, it’s important to reflect.
- representation matters – increasing visibility and support for female engineers is crucial
- role models inspire – seeing successful women in engineering encourages young people, especially girls, to pursue STEM careers
- you can make a difference – whether you’re an engineer, educator, or advocate, everyone can play a part in fostering diversity and opportunity in engineering
- collaboration is key – initiatives like INWED highlight the power of teamwork in driving progress and inclusion
Need the latest data on women in engineering and tech?
Thinking of taking part?
INWED is great for:
- showcasing different female role models
- getting girls in your communities to think about their future
- using your apprentices and early career professionals to inspire young people
Show your support. We'll be using the hashtags #INWED2026 and #EngineeringIntelligence, please use them in your social media too.
The history of INWED
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) has been a global celebration for 12 years, championing women in engineering and inspiring future generations.
Its origins date back to 1919, when the Women’s Engineering Society was founded after World War I by pioneering women determined to continue their careers in engineering.
In 2014, to commemorate the society’s 95th anniversary, National Women in Engineering Day was launched. UNESCO officially recognised the event in 2017, expanding its reach worldwide.
Engineering and technology careers could unlock £1bn for women’s earnings
For International Women's Day 2026 we have released new estimates highlighting the potential for women to increase their earnings through careers in engineering and technology. Across the economy, women are concentrated in lower paid sectors and occupations. In contrast, roles in engineering and technology pay the equivalent of £9k a year above the average of all occupations.
We estimate that 240,000 people are needed to join the engineering and technology workforce each year. If 50% of these were women, there would be around £1bn more in their collective pockets every year, compared to if they went into other roles.
Using apprenticeships to increase representation
To celebrate the great work businesses are doing to increase representation in their workforce we caught up with Estee Ross, HR Director at Warren Services. Estee is proud to share that 20% of her workforce is female as well as half of the Board of Directors. However, she knows there's more work to do. Encouraging women into engineering and manufacturing is a topic she's passionate about. Learn how she's using apprenticeships to increase representation.
Gender pathways into engineering and technology
We’ve formed a partnership with a shared mission to significantly increase the number of girls pursuing education pathways into engineering and technology by age 18. This was set up in response to concerning declines in young girls' interest in science and underrepresentation of women in engineering and tech careers.
