Lincoln UTC is celebrating International Women in Engineering Day on the 23rd of June by highlighting the success of female students.
Data from the Women’s Engineering Society highlights that only 12.37% of engineers in the UK are women, and just 25.4% of girls aged 16-18 would consider a career in engineering compared to 51.9% of boys. Despite this, female UTC graduates have bucked the trend with their success in securing prestigious engineering apprenticeships and higher education courses over the past few years.
Year 13 students Georgina Smith and Eloise Winterflood have both recently completed a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering at the UTC.
During her final year Georgina undertook an industrial placement with local component manufacturer and laser processing specialist Micrometric.
Georgina said: “Considering the challenging circumstances of the past year I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to gain industry experience. My placement allowed me to build a long-term relationship with Micrometric, gain an in-depth understanding of the company, and evidence the practical application of my engineering skills.
“In September I will start a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lincoln, and Micrometric have offered me a part-time job alongside my degree.”
Eloise was recently offered full sponsorship from Clyde Marine Training to complete an Engineering Officer Cadetship within the Merchant Navy.
Eloise said: “After studying engineering for 4 years at Lincoln UTC I am thrilled to have secured the next step of my career in industry. During my training I will spend time on shore and at sea, travelling and working on a multitude of ships with an established Merchant Navy company.
“I am proud to be challenging the traditional narrative with my career path in engineering and I hope that in future more girls will do the same.”
UTC student Shannon Barnes completed her studies in 2019 and secured a job with the Lincolnshire based engineering company Wefco as a Project Engineer. She recently achieved her Level 4 HNC in Mechanical Engineering.
Shannon said: “At the UTC I had the opportunity to complete work experience every year. In comparison to my peers at ‘ordinary’ schools I spent double the hours in the real world, developing vital skills and exploring potential career paths. One of my placements was at Wefco, and I secured my apprenticeship as a direct consequence.”
UTC Principal John Morrison said: “By reflecting on the incredible achievements of our female students we hope to inspire the next generation of girls to consider a career in engineering.
“Our curriculum provides a platform for students to progress into any sector within the industry. We look forward to accepting our largest intake of girls yet in September 2021.”
A limited number of places are still available in year 10 and
year 12. For more information visit www.lincolnutc.co.uk or email admissions@lincolnutc.co.uk.