Girls are increasingly choosing high-tech engineering fields such as biomedical engineering, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and healthcare technologies, according to a major study, even as boys continue to dominate the profession overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, which is headquartered in London, and careers platform Unifrog, titled The Future is Engineering: What Young People Really Think,<\/em> found that the traditional gender divide has disappeared in biomedical engineering. This suggests girls are opting for careers that combine technology, healthcare and innovation rather than traditional pathways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report also challenges the idea that engineering struggles to attract young people. It ranked third out of 21 university subject areas researched among students planning their futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boys remain more likely to shortlist engineering degrees, at 14 per cent compared with 4 per cent of girls. Students interested in engineering are more likely to view themselves as strong problem-solvers (68 per cent) and confident with numeracy (47 per cent) than their peers (59 per cent and 35 per cent respectively).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aspiring engineers are also more likely to engage with employers, attend careers events and visit universities, with 37 per cent doing so compared with 24 per cent of non-engineering students. They show less interest in fame or prestige, at 12 per cent against nearly a quarter (20 per cent) of other students. Instead they place greater value on practical experience, employer engagement and understanding future career opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n