Concerns over low numbers of Kenyan women engineers

The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has raised concerns over the low numbers of female engineers in the country and now wants women to be empowered in order to enrol to the male-dominated profession.

Statistics from IEK indicate that out of 6,444 engineers, female members are only 436, forming an insignificant seven percent, a move that has forced the institution to start the women engineers’ conference to motivate more of them to take up the career.

ADDRESS CHALLENGES

IEK First Vice President Jane Mutulili said the trend is worrying and has necessitated them to initiate the women’s summit aimed at addressing key challenges that women engineers face and encourage more to join the bandwagon.

“As an institution, we are trying our best to change the ratio of men to women in the engineering sector because the fact is, it leaves a lot to be desired. That’s why we are keen on organising the women’s conference to discuss issuing affecting women engineers and to attract more others to join the profession,” Ms Mutulili said.

The IEK vice president, who addressed the 26th International Engineers Conference in Diani, South Coast, said the workshops will also create a platform for upcoming engineers to interact with the accomplished ones who will mentor them.

TRADITIONAL BELIEFS

Speaking during the summit, Ms Catherine Nyambala, Chief Engineer Quality Regulatory Affairs Division at Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), who is a member of the IEK, noted that many women have challenges of being retained in the career due to traditional beliefs that engineering career was meant for men, saying there is need for stakeholders to demystify the belief and to expose more women to the importance of enrolling in the course.

“Women have challenges being retained in the career because of all manner of factors including traditional beliefs that engineering is meant for men. We need programmes like mentorship to build confidence amongst women and to expose them by giving them opportunities to build their skills as well as a supporting environment to enable them be retained in the industry,” noted Ms Nyambala.

DEFIED ODDS

During the summit, Ms Josephine Djirackor, who struggled and defied all odds to pursue telecommunications engineering in Russia and now runs a communications firm, urged women to embrace the profession to end the challenges of 21st century in the field of engineering.

“Exponential technologies come with great computing power. Machines now are intelligent, able to learn and this is what will enable us solve the greatest world problems. We need to ask ourselves, how can we innovate in engineering so that the artificial intelligence can help us design what will sort our challenges in construction or in transport? It’s happening in countries like Russia and that’s what we need to work on,” she said.