More Diversity in the Engineering Industry Could Fuel Innovation

It is not new information that the field of engineering lacks diversity. Statistics from the U.S news and world report in 2014 showed that only 24% of people in this profession in the U.S were women. Amongst the entire people in the field, just a small fraction were African Americans and people of the racial minority. The industry is crowded with white men that belong to the middle-class group of society. 87% of the entire engineering workforce is made up of Whites and Asians. A more diverse industry will, of course, spur growth in the industry; this is why these figures remain troubling. More people from different backgrounds and classes in society need to be encouraged to take up engineering careers for the world to experience sporadic technological advancement.

I asked Brandon Love why we needed more African Americans to enter the engineering industry

Diversity in the engineering industry is key to achieving the following;

• Innovation: What brings about innovation is the ability of people to brainstorm and come up with great ideas. An innovative mind is not dependent on race, gender or social class; anyone can be intelligent enough. Females in society often do not take up careers in engineering due to societal misconceptions. Sometimes people do not have access to the necessary equipment and exposure needed to pursue a degree in engineering. Nevertheless, there is a need for more people to dive into the engineering industry and take up careers in courses like mechanical engineering. The gap in diversity in the field is making the sector miss out on potential ideas and innovations.
• Economic growth: A broader and more vast engineering industry will boost any economy in the world. More and more innovations will take place, leading to financial success and higher profitability. Technology is the future of the world, and engineering plays a significant part in this. The opportunities are limitless, and a lot of change awaits us if the field embraces diversity.
• Encourages fairness: In a world where a lot of prejudice exists, having diversity in any industry will promote fairness and equality. People will perceive themselves as no better than others. Racial and ethnic discrimination could be minimized as people know that everyone is equal to the task.

The problem of diversity in the engineering industry is truncating growth and expansion. More people of different ethnic groups and genders need to be encouraged to take up careers in engineering. A whole lot of advancement awaits the industry if diversity is embraced.

Learn how you can support more diversity in engineering: https://a2d.app