Redressing the balance

29 April, 2015

However, the split between executive and non-executive roles remains a challenge for the sector. While the female share of non-executive roles has increased (up from 25 per cent last year to 28 per cent today), their share of executive roles remains stubbornly static at 8 per cent. Only five of the 25 FTSE 100 manufacturing companies have a female executive director.

The report points to this being a symptom of a wider challenge. Women accounted for only 7 per cent of those starting an ‘Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies’ apprenticeship in 2012/13 and continue to make up only 23 per cent of the manufacturing workforce. This suggests that there is not a ‘short-term fix’ on the horizon. Instead, the focus must be on building the overall talent pipeline, while addressing the worryingly low number of women within it.

Unless the manufacturing and engineering sector can make itself more attractive to young women looking for a life-long, fulfilling and rewarding career female apprentices and graduates will remain at a relatively low level, resulting in an under-representation of women at board level as these people work their way through the ranks. This is not only a potential loss for ambitious and talented young women, but also for our industry as a whole going forward. It’s time to redress the balance.

Ed Holden

Editor