Engineering should be a career that everyone can see themselves in, girls and boys, women and men. Right now, it isn’t. Women make up just 17% of the UK’s engineering and technology workforce.In this solo episode, Josh looks at where girls and women are lost to engineering, from the subjects they choose at school to the careers they leave. He also explains why industry has to show up much earlier, and much more consistently, if we want a workforce that reflects the people it serves.Josh doesn’t claim to have all the answers. He wants to hear what he’s missing, and this won’t be the last episode on this subject.Sources and further readingEngineeringUK, Women in engineering and technology (2026): https://www.engineeringuk.com/research-and-insights/our-research-reports/women-in-engineering-and-technology/EngineeringUK, Women in engineering dashboard (April 2026): https://www.engineeringuk.com/media/2rshp0g3/dashboard-women-in-engineering-engineeringuk-april-26.pdfEngineeringUK, infographic references, including the 2023 Science Education Tracker: https://www.engineeringuk.com/research-and-insights/infographic-references/Royal Academy of Engineering, Closing the engineering gender pay gap (2020): https://raeng.org.uk/policy-and-resources/d-i-resources/gender-pay-gapASPIRES research, UCL: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research-projects/2017/mar/aspires-researchWomen’s Engineering Society: https://www.wes.org.ukEquate Scotland: https://equatescotland.org.ukEqual Engineers: https://equalengineers.com