How to Attract and Retain Female Engineering Talent

Date Posted: Mon Jun 2025

Why Inclusive Hiring in Engineering Matters More Than Ever

The landscape of engineering is rapidly evolving, demanding new perspectives, diverse skill sets, and innovative thinking. Yet despite significant progress, women remain underrepresented across many engineering disciplines. This International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), on June 23rd, we’re asking a pivotal question at JDR: How can companies effectively attract and retain the incredible female engineering talent essential for future success? At JDR, we know that the best ideas come from teams with different perspectives. As experts in matching great people with great jobs, we’ve seen how having more women in engineering makes teams stronger and more creative. Creating an inclusive workplace isn’t just the right thing to do - it also helps companies solve problems more effectively and achieve long-term growth.

Redefining the Face of Engineering

It’s time to dismantle the outdated notions of what an engineer looks like and what engineering entails. Modern engineering is a dynamic field driven by ideas, design, problem-solving, and ground-breaking innovations. It’s about conceptualising solutions to complex challenges, creating new technologies, and improving lives in ways we’re only just beginning to imagine. An engineer today might be coding intricate algorithms, designing life-saving medical devices, or planning sustainable cities. This isn’t to suggest that women aren’t thriving in traditionally hands-on engineering roles - many are leading the way in those spaces. But it’s equally important to highlight the breadth of career paths available in engineering. Showcasing this diversity is key to encouraging more women to see a place for themselves in the field.

Addressing the Attraction Challenge

It’s easy to think there just aren’t enough women interested in engineering. While encouraging girls to explore STEM is important, the bigger issue is often how companies present themselves and their job opportunities. To bring in more women, consider these practical strategies: Rethink Job Ads: Are your job descriptions written in a way that feels welcoming to everyone? Avoid using overly “masculine” language or long lists of “must-have” skills that might scare off great candidates. Instead, focus on the skills needed, the impact of the role, and things like teamwork and flexibility. Show Diversity in Your Branding: Do your website and social media show a real mix of people, including women engineers? Sharing stories and photos of your current female employees helps candidates see themselves working there. Focus on Growth and Impact: Many women want jobs where they can make a difference. Be clear about how your projects change things for the better and the chances for learning and moving up. Offer Flexible Work Options: Flexibility matters to everyone, but especially to women juggling work and home life. Make sure your policies around remote work, flexible hours, or compressed weeks are clear and easy to find.

Tips for Inclusive Hiring

Attraction is just the first step; inclusive hiring practices are essential to ensure female talent isn't lost during the recruitment process. This means actively mitigating unconscious bias and creating an equitable experience:

Diverse Interview Panels: Ensure your interview panels include women and individuals from diverse backgrounds. This not only offers varied perspectives during assessment but also signals to candidates that diversity is valued.

Structured Interview Processes: Implement standardised interview questions and consistent evaluation criteria. This reduces subjectivity and ensures all candidates are assessed fairly on their merits and skills.

Blind Resume Reviews (Where Possible): Consider removing names or other identifying information from initial resume screens to focus purely on qualifications and experience.

Focus on Potential, Not Just Past Experience: Be open to transferable skills and diverse career paths. Sometimes, the best talent comes from unexpected places.

Train Your Hiring Managers: Provide training on unconscious bias, inclusive language, and effective interviewing techniques to all individuals involved in the hiring process.

Strategies for Female Retention and Growth

Hiring top female engineering talent is a victory, but retaining it is where long-term success truly lies. Creating an environment where women feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive is paramount:

Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs: Implement formal or informal programs that connect female engineers with senior leaders and mentors. Sponsorship where senior leaders actively advocate for their teams’ career advancement, is crucial.

Clear Career Progression Paths: Ensure there are transparent pathways for career growth and promotion. Discuss these opportunities openly and regularly with female employees, providing the necessary training and support.

Inclusive Leadership: Leaders must champion diversity from the top down. This includes actively listening to feedback, addressing concerns, and promoting a culture of psychological safety where all voices are heard and respected.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Support the creation of internal networks for women in engineering. These groups provide a sense of community, professional development, and a platform for collective voice.

Work-Life Integration Support: Continue to offer and promote flexible working options, parental leave policies, and support systems that help employees manage their professional and personal lives effectively.

A World of Problem-Solving, Creativity and Impact

Engineering isn’t just about technical know-how, it’s a mix of problem-solving, creativity, and the drive to make new ideas happen. Engineers spot challenges, come up with smart solutions, and then turn those ideas into reality. It takes clear thinking, but also creativity and the ability to see things differently. Every app on your phone, every bridge you cross, every medical breakthrough started with engineering. At JDR, we get how important these qualities are. We connect talented people who bring this energy with companies that value fresh ideas and different perspectives. Women in engineering aren’t just part of the field - they’re leading the way, pushing progress, and helping build the future.

JDR's Commitment to Gender Diversity in Engineering

At JDR, we're not just recruiters; we're partners in building better, more inclusive workforces. We get what it really takes to attract and retain talented women in engineering. Here’s how we approach it:

Proactive Sourcing: Actively seeking out and engaging with diverse female engineering professionals.

Client Consultation: Advising our clients on best practices for inclusive hiring, from writing gender-neutral job descriptions to structuring equitable interview processes.

Promoting Inclusive Cultures: Connecting candidates with companies that genuinely value diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring a strong cultural fit.

This International Women in Engineering Day, let's commit to not just celebrating women in engineering, but actively working to create environments where they can be attracted, thrive and lead. By adopting inclusive practices in attraction, hiring, and retention, companies can tap into a deeper pool of talent, foster greater innovation, and build a truly stronger future for the entire engineering sector.