Women seeking engineering jobs should be provided with greater support by the government in the UK, an organization has suggested.

The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) wants the government to outline its commitment to raising participation in an industry that is witnessing skills shortages, Electronics Weekly reports.

According to the body, support is declining for initiatives aimed at increasing female participation in the sector, with the UKRC recently losing funding.

IET director of governance and policy Dr Tony Whitehead told the news source: "Our most recent skills survey found that only five per cent of engineers and four per cent of engineering technicians are women."

His comments have been echoed by MP Chi Onwurah, who wrote in New Scientist that the gender balance has changed very little since she studied electrical enegineering at Imperial College 25 years earlier.

In the article, the shadow Business, Innovation and Skills minister hit out at a decision to cut funding for the UKRC and insisted women need to be championed in areas traditionally dominated by men.

Posted by Alex Donnell