Industry insiders say an attitude problem is keeping Australian women out of engineering.

Currently, women make up just 11 per cent of the total engineering workforce, and a recent OECD report found that only 3 per cent of Australian girls are contemplating a career in engineering or computing, compared to 17 per cent of boys.

Female engineers also earn less than their male counterparts, and hold far fewer of the top management roles.

Across all industries, the Federal Government’s recent Intergenerational Report found that Australia is ripping itself off by significantly under-utilising what should be a central part of its highly skilled workforce.

Quite simply, Australia is losing productivity through the reduced participation of women; a poor choice in regard to both economic and productivity growth.

Alexandra Meldrum - a National Councillor of Engineers Australia – says there are plenty of strong female engineering role models, but the working environment means the door often seems jammed shut.

“It is still a slow business to sign up the female inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” Meldrum said in an article for Women’s Agenda. 

“There is considerable evidence that when women engineers are responsible for the care of children, their employment participation rate falls dramatically.

“This is more prevalent in engineering than in other professions with comparable education requirements.

“I am encouraged when I see the variety of programs in schools to empower young girls towards technology careers, and introduce them to STEM subjects.

“Improving education outcomes for younger Australians is key to Australia’s economic future,” she writes.

But Ms Meldrum says it is not entirely an issue of gender.

She says improving workplace flexibility should be a major an issue for all employees.

“Encompassing a flexible and supportive workplace culture will go a long way in improving productivity levels and retaining women, by weighing business needs with employee circumstances,” she writes.