The Canadian Academy of Engineers will spend June 23rd, 2021 celebrating International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) amongst other professionals and associations across the world. As an organization, we strive to encourage the concept of engineering as a career for all, as well as celebrate all that women have contributed to the world of engineering.
We are honoured to stand with our #EngineeringHeroes – women in engineering, who recognise a problem, then dare to be part of the solution. To understand how we are contributing to this campaign, we have asked some of our Fellows to explain what this day means to them.
Visit the International Women in Engineering Day website for additional information. #INWED2021
Jeanette M. Southwood, FCAE, FEC, LL.D. (h.c.), P.Eng. – Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, Engineers Canada – Engineers Canada is the national organization of the 12 engineering regulators licensing Canada’s more than 300,000 members of the engineering profession. Engineers Canada’s 30 by 30 goal aims to raise the percentage of newly licensed engineers who are women to 30 per cent by the year 2030. To help collect data to track the progress in numbers of women as they advance from being engineering students to becoming licensed as engineers, Engineers Canada developed a 30 by 30 scorecard that includes several strategic indicators. According to the UNESCO Report ‘Cracking the Code’, “Internationally comparable data are also needed on a larger scale to ensure evidence-informed planning and policymaking, as well as further documentation of the effectiveness and impact of interventions.” Engineers Canada is working with the World Federation of Engineering Organizations to help develop a scorecard that could be used in a global context.
Catherine Karakatsanis, M.E.Sc., P.Eng., ICD.D, FCAE – Chief Operating Officer, Morrison Hershfield – As a practicing Professional Engineer, I join the world on International Women in Engineering Day to celebrate women as Engineering Heroes! In much of the world women are a small minority of the profession, yet they survive, and thrive, and produce amazing work every day for the betterment of everyone – Heroic Work.
Our planet is at risk on so many fronts, and the world is relying on Engineers to tackle the many complex challenges and opportunities we face. To do that effectively, we need the best minds from among us, and that means doing the necessary to ensure that more women join and stay in the profession. The future for women in engineering is very exciting. A greater balance between the number of men and women will enrich the profession and will provide many more women with incredibly satisfying and rewarding careers.
