Engineering teams are shaping the future of our world and one of the key ingredients to their success is diversity. This means bringing together people from different backgrounds who can contribute a wide range of ideas.
Engineering has historically been an industry that lacks diverse workforces. As one of the UK’s leading employers of engineers, we know we have a big part to play in making it a career for everyone.
This article outlines the great progress we’ve made towards that goal and why diversity is so important to our continued success.
What is diversity in engineering?
Diversity in engineering is about embracing different ideas and valuing and respecting engineers of all backgrounds.
By doing this, businesses can create a much more inclusive and fairer workplace. One that draws on a range of perspectives from people of any gender, race, age, sexual orientation, disability or socio-economic class.
Why is diversity important in engineering?
Diversity is so important in engineering because a variety of viewpoints can unlock the answers to complex problems.
If you have an engineering team made up of people with different life experiences and multiple ways of thinking, they are more likely to find solutions for the task at hand.
The more diverse your workforce is, the wider the range of ideas they’ll come up with. This results in those companies generally being:
- More forward-thinking – harnessing unique ideas helps engineering teams to innovate.
- Better at making decisions – a range of viewpoints means decisions are more informed.
- Relevant to a wider range of people – the products engineers create are more likely to meet the needs of a greater number of people.
- More attractive as employers – future engineers want to work for businesses that will respect and develop them, regardless of their background.
How are BAE Systems encouraging diversity in our engineering team?
At BAE Systems, diversity is an integral part of our culture, across all areas of the business. We offer all of our team a fulfilling career and the respect and recognition they deserve, regardless of their background.
Not only is this a place where you can make a difference with bold and pioneering work across land, sea, air and cyber. You’ll also gain a sense of belonging within a friendly and supportive engineering team.
Promoting diversity in the workplace is about more than words. That’s why we back up this commitment with actions, including initiatives such as our:
Inclusive hiring practices
We want our engineering team to reflect the diversity we’re so proud of in a wider society. To do this, we carry out outreach programmes to engage with underrepresented groups and attract people with great potential.
Promoting STEM education
We’re encouraging more women, girls and young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). We’re achieving this through inspiring partnerships with schools, universities and community groups across the UK.
Employee Connection Groups (ECGs)
Many of our engineers are involved with various ECGs we have set up, such as our Outlink (Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, LGBTQ Allies) and Cultural Heritage groups. Their purpose is to build an ever more inclusive workplace at BAE Systems. This helps our employees to feel even more comfortable being themselves at work.
Flexible work policies
By offering flexible working options to our employees, we can help to support people with a variety of personal circumstances at home. Whether it's hybrid and/or remote working, part-time opportunities, or flexible hours, we want to help our engineers balance work with other commitments.
Leadership targets
Ambitious goals for improving our diversity are embedded in our company strategy. For example, by 2030, our aim is that women will make up 30% of our workforce and 50% of our executive committee. We hold ourselves accountable to these goals through transparent reporting.
Learn more about BAE Systems
Interested in finding out more about our engineering roles and diversity initiatives? Why not browse our engineering page, latest engineer jobs or take a look at our diversity page.
You can also get more insider views by reading inspiring stories from current employees at BAE Systems.