Mind the gap – diversity in tech and engineering sectors in Bristol

In the rapidly evolving tech and engineering landscape, the need for diversity and inclusion has become paramount. Not only because these are fast-growing sectors but because without a workforce that reflects society, they could easily fall behind.

To give an example, the 2020 Diversity Wins report by McKinsey & Company found companies in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 36 per cent more likely to have financial returns above the industry mean.

Yet, despite the case for change, the figures do not paint a positive picture.

Black people make up only three per cent of the UK tech workforce, according to the Diversity in Tech Report 2021, which also revealed that although women make up nearly 50 per cent of the UK workforce, they account for only 24 per cent of the tech sector.

“It’s hard to ignore how male-dominated the field is, but then again, if you’re LGBTQ+, there are always going to be friends in the community if you look for them,” says Io Limmer – photo : Milan Perera

The engineering sector did not fare any better. A recent report by EngineeringUK found that as of mid-2021, only 16 per cent of the workforce is women.

Meanwhile, according to a report from the Human Rights Campaign, 46 per cent of LGBTQ+ employees are not open about their identity due to fear of discrimination.

Bristol24/7 spoke to three people immersed in the sector about their experiences of this imbalance and what can be done to rectify it.

Hilary Frank, a University of Bristol student from Nigeria is completing his PhD in 5G technology while working at the university’s Smart Internet Lab.

One of the key points Frank raised was visibility. He said: “You don’t have any difficulty finding Black musicians. You have role models you can emulate.

“When it comes to the tech industry, a significant portion of Black students who have completed first degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects are working in unrelated fields.

“There’s a sense of imposter syndrome, if you like. Despite a healthy percentage of Black individuals graduating in engineering (27 per cent), the significantly lower representation (only nine per cent) in the engineering workforce suggests an inherent anomaly.”

As a remedy for the anomaly, Frank suggested increasing opportunities for underrepresented people in the tech and engineering workforce to enhance visibility and inspire others.

“Funding opportunities in STEM education for minorities and addressing the prevalent impediments would be instrumental in supporting efforts to boost participation in the engineering and tech workforce,” he said.

Limmer, a non-binary software developer at Emersons Green-based tech company Exacta, was delighted when they were first offered a job in the tech sector.

“Part of my motivation to study hard during my degree was the knowledge I was following in the footsteps of Alan Turing, who basically founded the field of computer science and famously was gay and was persecuted for it. I couldn’t let him down,” Limmer told Bristol24/7.

“It’s hard to ignore how male-dominated the field is, but then again, if you’re LGBTQ+, there are always going to be friends in the community if you look for them.”

Limmer is optimistic about the future, saying: “Computer science and engineering have a surprisingly large presence of LGBTQ+ people, namely transgender women. Most of my friends I knew in my hometown were trans boys. I’d actually never properly met a trans girl until university and now I know loads of them.”

“Teenage girls need female role models so they can recognise the opportunities available in civil engineering and imagine themselves working in our profession,” says Miranda – photo: ICE

Miranda Housden, regional director at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), said that in a sector seen predominantly as a male reserve, the visibility of female engineers is vital in attracting more girls into the industry because “you can’t be what you can’t see”.

“Teenage girls need female role models so they can recognise the opportunities available in civil engineering and imagine themselves working in our profession,” Housden told Bristol24/7.

“The ICE is committed to getting more girls to become civil engineers and has an ongoing education and engagement campaign to inspire the next generation of female engineers.”

But does more need to be done? “The civil engineering sector needs to work together to create a welcoming profession, where everyone feels included and valued,” Miranda said.

“Indeed, it is in the best interest of companies to do so because there is a shortage of civil engineers in the UK. For this reason, we find most employers are very receptive to working with us to address gender disparity.

“The truth is that the whole of society needs more female engineers. We simply can’t meet the challenges of transitioning our infrastructure to net zero and adapting to become more climate resilient without attracting and retaining talented women.

“Progress is happening slowly. The ICE’s overall female membership has almost doubled over the last 15 years, from 8.4 per cent to 16.3 per cent. And for members who are under the age of 40, 23 per cent of them are women.”

While there are changes afoot, the experience of Frank, Limmer and Miranda suggest more still needs to be done to increase representation in the tech and engineering sector.

Main photo: Milan Perera

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