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Posted By: Huw Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 26/11/17 2:27 PM

Engineering’s reputation damaged by outdated ‘white male’ stereotype, says IET
Quote
Outdated ideas among schoolchildren and parents about engineering are damaging the industry, the IET has warned, after a study found that most youngsters believed a typical engineer was white, middle-aged and male.

A survey of more than 1,000 children aged nine to 16 showed that fewer than one in 10 described a typical engineer as a woman.

The IET said its research also revealed that many schoolchildren believed engineers have glasses, beards and short brown hair and wear hard hats, protective eyewear and high-visibility jackets.

A survey of more than 2,000 parents found similar outdated stereotyping of the profession.

E&T Engineering and Technology

Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 26/11/17 2:43 PM

My own survey draws a different conclusion ... but maybe that's because I'm not a Common Purpose graduate. whistle
Posted By: optimus Re: Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 27/11/17 11:39 AM
I do find these conversations interesting. I have yet to see the same level of effort given to encourage men to be nurses for example.
Posted By: Lee S Re: Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 27/11/17 2:23 PM
Hello

Glasses, beard, short brown hair....oh dear i fit that sterotype.

Lee
Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 27/11/17 2:47 PM

It's called "conditioning". frown

AKA:- brain washing.

Quote

Engineering is perceived as masculine, unglamorous and usually depicts people wearing hard hats and overalls. The reality is very different. You don’t need a hard hat or high-vis jacket to be a ground-breaking engineer.


No ... you need a a jack-hammer. whistle
Posted By: Huw Re: Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 27/11/17 3:25 PM
Originally Posted by Lee S
Hello

Glasses, beard, short brown hair....oh dear i fit that sterotype.

Lee
+1
Same here. ;-)
Posted By: Geoff Hannis Re: Outdated Stereotype of Engineers? - 27/11/17 4:52 PM

Perhaps it would be just as "interesting" to consider the stereotype of the biomedical technician or engineer.

As I may have mentioned before, for reasons* that now escape me it was once de rigueur for biomeds in certain parts of the world to sport beards (or "barbs" as they were sometimes called).

Specs are (or, to be more specific, used to be) optional. "Shades" being much preferred. shades

I'm not so sure about brown hair, though. Grey, maybe (or in some cases, none). frown

Oh, ... and rounded shoulders from all that being hunched over the "kit", screwdriver poised and ready to strike.

* It may have been a desire to blend in with the natives.
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