POWER December 2020 - 40

COMMENTARY
Breaking Barriers:
Inspiring Women in
Engineering Jobs
Michelle Malcolm-Francis
E
ngineering empowers society in so
many unprecedented ways, and with
innovation at its core, the profession
recognizes reaching its full potential
requires the inclusivity of all segments of
society. Two years ago, the Ontario Association
of Certified Engineering Technicians
and Technologists (OACETT), in collaboration
with other engineering organizations,
sounded the alarm over the engineering
profession's
asymmetrical
gender
landscape.
A phenomenon where women's underrepresentation
in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers
starves innovation and discourages or
prevents women from achieving economic
prosperity on the same footing as men.
Concerned about this gender gap, its
lackluster growth of female members, and
the biases women face in the workplace,
OACETT, the independent certifying body for
engineering and applied science technicians
and technologists that confers the designations
C.Tech. (Certified Technician) and C.E.T.
(Certified Engineering Technologist), with
more than 25,000 members, took action. In
December 2018, OACETT and the Ontario
Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE)
signed the " Leadership Accord on Gender
Diversity, " publicly committing to promoting
the values of diversity, equality, and inclusion
of women in the Canadian workplace.
Launched by Electricity Human Resources
Canada (EHRC), the Leadership
Accord on Gender Diversity entrusts signatories
(employers, educational institutions,
and unions) to improve opportunities for
women in the Canadian workforce through
recruitment, retention, career progression,
and training/development. More than 40
organizations have confirmed actions to
build a truly representative workforce of
Canadians; ensuring women are informed
of opportunities within their occupation,
provided equal opportunities to grow, and
supported to achieve their full potential.
OACETT President Kim Pickett, C.E.T.,
LET said, " Signing the Accord, OACETT
has fastened its commitment to support,
create, and inspire equal opportunities for
women, which is critical to the success of
40
the engineering technology community,
Ontario's economy, and society as a whole. "
Over the past few decades, men's constant
imagery in STEM careers has created
a perception that engineering jobs are
male-dominated. This mindset has led to
glaring gender bias and exposed the need
for female tech talent in various industries.
For example, carmakers used to design
crash test dummies based on the average
man, putting 47% of female drivers at risk
of serious injury in a car crash. Even though
male and female bodies act differently in
crashes, the crash test dummy design
was based on the fiftieth percentile male.
This failure to create crash test dummies
without including alternative perspectives
showed female ingenuity could make a
difference. With more female engineering
professionals in the design thinking
process and pressure from regulators, the
first female crash test dummies became
legally required in safety testing in 2011.
" When you remove barriers, innovation
is unleashed, " explained Pickett. " You see,
inclusivity invites a diverse group of professionals
with different ideas and perspectives
into the mix, and this single action
ignites innovation, which in turn, triggers
the development of imaginative and enduring
solutions to global problems. "
For this reason and others, OACETT is
advancing its existing policies and governance
practices in a manner that promotes
inclusivity and real opportunities
for women. This commitment is being
achieved through a range of initiatives
outlined in the Accord, including:
■ Striving to ensure women represent between
10% and 30% of the board of directors
and senior management positions.
■ Committing to the ongoing improvement
of workplace policies, practices, and operating
procedures so that women are sufficiently
represented in the workplace.
■ Promoting occupations and career opportunities
where women are underrepresented
in a way that attracts more women.
■ Developing processes or special programs
that help advance women within the workplace
and support their development.
www.powermag.com
Since the signing of the Accord,
OACETT has strived to increase the
number of women in the association's
governance and leadership, and has promoted
the business case that diverse
leadership teams make good business
sense. OACETT's values embody equity,
diversity, and inclusion. In fact, OACETT
reached a celebrated milestone in 2020
with all three of its leadership positions-CEO,
president, and the president-elect-held
by women. Fletcher
Foundation, a subsidiary of OACETT,
has awarded several scholarships to exceptional
female students over the past
year. OACETT's 2019 Provincial Awards
and Honours awarded Denise van Osch,
C.E.T. with the distinguished service
award and Mary-Anne Church received
the outstanding educator award for their
exceptional contributions in fostering opportunities
for women in technology.
Each year, OACETT participates in National
Engineering Month (NEM) to promote
engineering technology and applied
science fields. Through professional networking,
panel discussions, and design
challenges, young people-especially
girls and young women-are inspired to
consider a STEM career path. Last year,
OACETT student member Brendan Woo
organized workshops for middle-school
girls to promote awareness and interest
in engineering careers, earning his team
the top prize in OACETT's NEM Ontario
College Challenge.
In 2021, OACETT plans to form a Women
in Technology Taskforce to investigate
ways to further engage female members,
and grow participation in chapters and the
association overall. The results of the Taskforce's
study will be presented in a report
to OACETT's board of directors. This initiative
and the other efforts OACETT has
undertaken to support women's advancement
in the profession are encouraging
for the engineering technology industry
and those invested in ensuring a brighter
future for women. ■
-Michelle Malcolm-Francis is editor of
publications and senior marketing communications
specialist with OACETT.
POWER | December 2020
http://www.powermag.com

POWER December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER December 2020

Contents
POWER December 2020 - Intro
POWER December 2020 - Cover1
POWER December 2020 - Cover2
POWER December 2020 - Contents
POWER December 2020 - 2
POWER December 2020 - 3
POWER December 2020 - 4
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POWER December 2020 - Cover3
POWER December 2020 - Cover4
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