Statement from the Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate Jeanie McLean on International Women in Engineering Day

Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate Jeanie McLean has issued the following statement: 

“June 23 is International Women in Engineering Day. We celebrate this day to honour women in the field of engineering. 

“Female engineers are largely under-represented, with women making up only 13.9 per cent of Canadian Engineers in a statistic from 2019.

“In 1876, Elizabeth Bragg became the first female recipient of an engineering degree in North America, paving the way for thousands of women of the 19th century who followed her lead. It wasn’t until the Second World War that serious attention was paid to women’s education in technical fields. Even in the 21st century, education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) continues to be dominated by men while women continue to endure struggles in this field.

“International Women in Engineering Day was announced by the United Kingdom in 2014 as a tribute for the anniversary of the establishment of the Women’s Engineering Society which occurred on June 23, 1919. This day promotes the work that female engineers have done and are doing, as well as encourages young women and girls to take up a career in engineering. 

“Yukon Women in Trades and Technology is an organization that provides financial and community support to women pursuing a career in these male-dominated fields. Employment rates for women in STEM are higher in the Yukon than the national average, but women and girls need to continue to receive encouragement and praise for their hard work in these fields."