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Nicely said Tracy.

The education system must to blame for the total lack of female coming into the profession. I have saw none while I was at college. Engineering block was women free zone. School still think men should become Managers, Doctors, Engineers and women should become Sectaries, Nurse.

A.M

Have to agree Aston Martin, While at college I was the only female in the whole college.

At school I was advised to go into nursing or childcare.

I don't find many problems with sexism at all. I just have a few run ins now and then.

Yes I can do my job, and feel that I am quite good at what I do.

Yes, sometimes there are problems with being a female in such lines of work, but I knew from the start the situation with women in engineering.

Being a white male who is 6’5” tall, I have never had a problem.

I was just wondering if any of any Coloured or Ethic friends are having any problems in our chosen profession. I am hoping that we are all smart enough, that it is not a problem.

A.M

Being a male with a technical leaning in school, I got no help when I wanted to become a nurse. This was back in the late 70s early 80s when male nurse were very rare. Even some patients could not work out that I was not a doctor. Then you get all the sexist comments about being strong but not sensitive and only fit for lifting patient up the bed. And as for not being gay..... well all male nurses are aren't they? (Well they were in those days)
It does work both ways, it is just that wimmin's libbers have a strong voice.
Robert

I think you'll find there were ample boxes covering basic training - including "Formal NHS Training" (such as the regional Medical Physics Training Scheme). We did used to have formal NHS National/Regional engineering training back in the 80's you know - not necessarily a "lash-up" job.

The key words here are "we did used to". It was not available when I started four years ago, and this lack of a recognised system I felt was a problem.

I am a female engineer and have been for approximately 9 years (started at the young age of 23). I "attended" uni and have a BEng in elctronic Engineering. I am a MTO 3 at a Childrens hospital. I have worked at a couple of other bigger hospitals, but none were as nice as working at a smallish hospital, so i've been here a couple of years.

What sort of apprenticeship? Was this a local system or something available through C&G/BTEC? I thought that after 18 years old and the 1990s apprenticeships were unavailable! Where are these run from? This would have been very useful to know four years ago, and I'm sure that it would be good for other people to know of it now.

As a female engineer, I find that the worst problems, as Tracey said, comes from other women. Nurses call our department and ask to speak to an engineer. How the brain cogs whir when I say "You are doing!"

I do think that perhaps joining WISE - Women Into Science and Engineering might help, though I have to see if that still exists. I meant to do it at Uni and forgot!

There is nothing wrong with bucking trends yourself and promoting engineering in local schools to girls. My Physics teacher - at an all-girls school - was my inspiration, not least because he never saw the gender barrier.

My apprenticeship scheme was run through a regional training authority. They basically employ trainees between the ages of 16 and 25.

They cover a wide choice of apprenticeships from carpenters to medical engineers and IT engineers, all based in hospitals.

The apprenticeship scheme was excellent and I was able to complete a lot of qualifications throughout.

The apprenticeship offers a final result of an HNC in electronics and NVQ level 3 in electronic maintenance. Thats if you pass!!

They employ around 20 apprentices a year and cover all hospitals in the North East, from Newcastle to Middlesbrough, and this is increasing each yea.

It is a really good scheme. I am surprised more trusts don't take up on the idea to get younger people into engineering.

I have attended some career conventions promoting engineering for women, but when talking to 16 year old girls they don't want to know. Probably as they don't know the facts about the type of jobs I do?

That's the problem, central government don't seem interested in a national scheme which is why only local schemes exist probably driven by the local work force confederation. I believe King's are kicking about an idea for a Clinical Training scheme for South London and held some sort of meeting yesterday to discuss, hopefully something positive will come out of it. There were rumours that IPEM were looking to put together a scheme, but any system that it proposes would need funding by the NHS much like the scheme for Clinical Scientists is.

Our trust only have to cover a trainees final year of training. The apprenticeship scheme is government subsidised.

There is also other ways in which funds are raised if certain criteria are met within the training scheme.

The apprenticeship scheme that I followed has been around for many years now, at least 10 years.

They are well worth it, especially if EBME departments are after young blood!!!!!

We have two apprentices at the moment, it's just whether or not jobs are secure for them after their training, as you are advised from the start that it is not certain that there is a job after completion of your apprenticeship.

Although the knowledge and qualifications that you can gain are a great stepping stone into other areas of engineering if a job was not available in your trust. Maybe other trusts may have a position, all the training for that person is virtually already done.

Clare,
I never did an apprenticeship, just on the job training. I worked at Great Ormond street for a year as part of my degree. When I graduated I applied for a job there and got it.

In Birmingham there are a few apprentice course's running in Med Eng depts, they too progress to HNC level. There is a new scheme being discussed at the moment, with some sort of funding from region/gov? I'm afraid as I don't supervise trainees i'm not too sure.

Tracy

Clare,

Of course I can only speak from my own experiences and those are of the supernumerary training scheme for medical physics technicians provided by NWRHA in the '80s. The scheme just ran out of funding and there was also an exodus of trained technicians to the middle-east, private servicing companies and the medical industry as a result of the dead-mans shoes philosophy prevalent in EBME/Medical Physics equipment maintenance departments and relatively poor salaries for the working grade prior to the early 90's. Hence the training just provided technicians for those employers willing to pay a bit more since they didn't want to fund their own training overheads.

Actually a female technician trainee was appointed on the training scheme the same year as I was and I think if more females applied for technical jobs then I guess, statistically speaking and for no other reason (assuming male and female technicians are no better no worse), there is a higher likelihood, in my opinion, that there would be more women working in science, engineering and technology fullstop. I wonder what proportion of those applying for technical jobs are female? If it makes ladies feel any better even these days I see very few males working in the NHS as a proportion of the NHS workforce overall - I think the proportion is 85% female the rest male out of 1.3 million employees. Does this mean males are being deliberately excluded or not being given a chance by the NHS? I think not.

There are probably more job opportunities and apprenticeships available now than there were in the late 70's (or early 80's when I left school). There was nothing available due to an economy that was in the doldrums and massive unemployment - there were no jobs to train for so the need for training skipped a generation or so. Now there is a relatively strong economy and a lack of skilled individuals since those with the skills are retiring or due to retire.

There is now a need for young-blood to train up in any industry that is still active - there will always be cycling of variation in demand. However this does not take away the fact that if regulation rears its head then individuals will have to meet the requirements to secure job-roles with protected titles and salaries that are commensurate. This will affect all of us irrespective of gender.

Once and for all the NHS needs to make the decision whether in-house technical services provided by in-house trained professionals are required like in other areas and then provide the necessary infrastructure to provide for the needs of the service. Manage is the term used for this I think rather than just let it evolve aimlessly.