Rethinking Women in Engineering Marginalisation: Beyond Interest Ignition

In the U.K. the number of women in engineering education and career remains modest despite of the wide-scale initiatives that has been devoted to promoting interest and accelerating recognition. Whereas sustained effort continues to contribute to promising outcomes of the former, the latter, i.e., acceleration through sustainable development, is yet to be prioritised. Unarguably, this could be inevitable fertilizer for STEM gender inequality. That necessitates the need for a sustainable approach to enhance women participation in engineering beyond the ignition of interest. This paper therefore presents critique of women underrepresentation and marginalisation in engineering in efforts to close the inequality differentials that may otherwise arise by unintentionally focusing all efforts at early exposure. A theoretical framework for a cradle-to-cradle sustainable approach, throughout the life cycle of a woman in engineering student from access to continuation, attainment, and progression, is proposed. Through an intercessional lens, the pedagogy proposed in here urges engineering engagement champions to rethink the promotion of women participation in engineering beyond the gendered identity. A review of evidence suggests strong correlation between sense of belonging, academic engagement and success and highlights its key role for women in STEM empowerment.