The SWE Works with Partner Organizations on Women of Color in Engineering Collaborative

Women of Color Engineering Collaborative was established to help women of color thrive in the STEM workplace.

The Landscape Today

More women are being encouraged to pursue STEM degrees these days—degrees that have traditionally been awarded to men. With all that encouragement, in 2017, 20 percent of engineering and computer science degrees were awarded to women. [1] But that’s not the full story.

There is a disparity between the number of women who are earning STEM degrees and the number of women who are pursuing STEM careers in the workforce. Only 30 percent of women who earn bachelor’s degrees in engineering are still employed in an engineering field 20 years later and 30 percent of women cite organizational climate as the reason for leaving. [1]

It seems as though the right level of support is being provided to students—they are being encouraged to pursue fields and industries that may have seemed out of reach—however, the support seems to evaporate once women reach the workplace.

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash.

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash.

Even so, this is still not the full picture. In the engineering and computer science workforce, there is further disparity. Hispanic, Black and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals make up a smaller share of the science and engineering workforce at 11 percent, even though they make up 27 percent of the U.S. working-age population. [2]

It seems clear that there are barriers in place for racial minorities and women in the United States. Further support is needed to reach an equitable future for all candidates in these fields.

A Grant from the National Science Foundation—A Step in the Right Direction

On June 14, 2021, the Society of Women Engineers, in collaboration with the National Society of Black Engineering (NSBE) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineering (SHPE), received a grant from the National Science Foundation to create the Women of Color in Engineering Collaborative (WCEC).

The WCEC will be targeting the issues women of color (WOC) face in the workspace that causes the disparity between WOC who complete engineering degrees and WOC in the engineering workspace. The goal is for partner organizations to help decrease the barriers that lead to the attrition of WOC engineers.

This planning grant has three main goals:

  1. Establish the WCEC to address systemic barriers that contribute to WOC leaving the engineering workspace.
  2. Create a shared vision that focuses on dismantling these systematic barriers.
  3. Develop a strategic plan to guide WCEC activities.

The WCEC is designed to be a sustained effort, working to meet the problem at its root cause.

From the Partners

The WCEC will be built by all three societies, focusing first on professional associations with women engineers of color. This will be expanded in time to include higher education alumni, industry partners and government entities with the goal of increasing the representation and equity of women engineers of color within the workforce.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations in the United States. Its mission is to “increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.” The WCEC initiative will help to provide “…significant forward progress in NSBE’s mission,” said Charles Thompson III, interim chief executive officer of the NSBE.

Similarly, Dora Renaud, events director at Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) said, “Together we can make such a significant impact, learning from each other to build a stronger repository of tools, strategies and resources that will help pave the way for an equitable, safe and positive culture and climate in the work environment.” SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to impact the world through STEM awareness, access support and development.

Logo of the Society of Women Engineers.

Logo of the Society of Women Engineers.

Lastly, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a not-for-profit educational and service organization that helps empower women to achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and leaders. It establishes engineering as a highly desirable career for women through training and development programs, networking opportunities, scholarships, and outreach and advocacy activities.

A Monumental Task Ahead

One aspect of the journey of a WOC engineer has been neglected support. By offering WOC aid and support during the years these women are students, but then providing them with little support after they graduate can contribute to attrition within the workforce. Hopefully, the WCEC will provide this necessary support and help make the workplace equitable to men and women of all ethnicities.