IET: Follow in Charlotte’s footsteps to become an engineering role model

There is still time to enter an awards scheme that honours the most dynamic and inspiring young female engineers in the UK.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards (YWE) honour the very best female engineers. They seek to highlight the achievements of women in engineering and to encourage others to enter the profession.

Current IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Charlotte Joyce spent the first part of her career in the Armed Forces and has just taken up a new role as an engineering lecturer. She said: “Winning this award was a huge honour and a great opportunity to inspire a range of young people to take up engineering as a career.

“It has definitely increased my awareness of opportunities available within the engineering profession. I have been given opportunities to get involved with STEM promotion in schools, at national events and even helped to judge the IET’s Faraday nationwide education competition.

“I have also been able to influence developments by presenting to industry and taking part in focus groups. Overall it has been a year of immense opportunity.”

Linda Deleay, IET Awards and Prizes Manager, said: “The recognition of the best young female engineers who have entered the industry through a variety of routes and secured a strong future for themselves will hopefully inspire other young women to strive for more and consider engineering as a worthwhile career, particularly during a time when the future may appear uncertain for a lot of young people.

“If you know a leading female engineer under 30 who has inspired others, please help us to give them the recognition they deserve.”

The deadline for entries is Monday 30 July. The awards ceremony takes place on 6 December in central London and the winner will receive a trophy and cheque for £2,500. The winner becomes an ambassador for engineering and has the opportunity to attend high profile events and meet the most influential people in the industry.

Research shows that just 6 per cent of engineers in the UK are women. The YWE Awards are one of the ways that the IET aims to attract more women into the profession. The IET also uses social media to raise awareness of the issue and offers financial and in-kind support to a number of organisations with similar aims. In addition, the Faraday education programme engages with school students to inspire and attract the engineers of the future and the IET offers around £500,000 in awards and scholarships.

More information and application forms can be found by visiting www.theiet.org/ywe.

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Notes to editors:
For more information, visit http://conferences.theiet.org/ywe/about/index.cfm.
The YWE awards are made possible by the generous support and sponsorship of BP, EADS, GCHQ, Intel, National Grid, OFCOM, The Royal Air Force, RS Components, Selex Galileo, Siemens, Transport for London and Virgin Media.
Interview opportunities are available with IET spokespersons.
The IET is Europe’s largest professional body of engineers with over 150,000 members in 127 countries.
For more information, visit www.theiet.org.
Follow the IET on Twitter.

Media enquiries to:
Robert Beahan, Media Relations Manager
T: +44 (0)1438 767336
M: +44 (0)7595 400912
E: rbeahan@theiet.org