Female Heating Engineers
If you’ve ever seen an engineer come to your home to fix or service your boiler, the chances are it was a man. While the number of women working in construction trades has doubled over the last decade, it’s still a male-dominated industry. In fact, only 0.4% of gas engineers are female. But there’s a strong demand for female plumbers, electricians and heating engineers as more people switch to green energy. So, if we’re to address this gender imbalance and bring more women into the gas industry, what’s stopping them from getting in?
The myth that women aren’t as good at STEM subjects is a big barrier. Girls regularly outperform boys in science, technology, engineering and maths at school, but too many don’t go on to pursue careers in these areas. It’s important that we encourage girls to study these subjects at school, so they can consider apprenticeships in the future.
Another factor that’s stopping women from becoming female heating and gas engineers is the perception that it’s a ‘man’s world’. While some may see this as an incentive to blaze a trail in what’s still considered a male-dominated profession, for others it could act as a deterrent. Women already working as engineers and plumbers say that they’ve had to develop a thick skin and are regularly subjected to sexism in the workplace.
Where Are All the Female Heating Engineers?
Retraining as an adult can be a huge challenge for both men and women, especially when there are bills to pay and families to look after. This can make it difficult for students to secure apprenticeships that will provide them with the income they need while they train. It’s also a common misconception that training to be a heating engineer requires lots of hands-on experience, which isn’t always possible.
Those who do go on to become heating engineers say that they love the freedom that comes with being self-employed. It allows them to control their own schedule, which is great if they have young children to look after. They also like the satisfaction of helping vulnerable customers, especially elderly ones, who often feel much more comfortable dealing with a woman than a man.
The presence of female heating and gas engineers also contributes to a more customer-centric industry. With a diverse workforce, companies can better understand and address the varied needs of their clientele. This diversity not only promotes equality within the workplace but also enhances the overall quality of service provided to customers.
We need more women in the gas industry and bringing them into apprenticeships is one way of doing this. It’s also important that we tackle the gender stereotypes that surround skilled tradespeople and encourage more girls and women to consider a career in these areas.