Engineering is still struggling to attract female students, despite this week’s GCSE exam results showing that girls are excelling in STEM, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has said.
With students now set to make decisions about A levels, T Levels, apprenticeships and other qualifications, the IET and WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) have said more still needs to be done to encourage girls and young women to consider STEM pathways that can lead to rewarding careers in engineering and technology.
They have highlighted figures from Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) showing that:
- GCSE entries increased by 0.6% to 6.2 million across the UK, reflecting a growing cohort of young people progressing through education.
- Girls continue to outperform boys overall, with 73.7% achieving grade 4/C and above, compared with 67.8% of boys.
- The attainment gap between girls and boys achieving grade 4/C and above has continued to narrow, falling from 6.8 percentage points in 2023 to 5.9 percentage points in 2026.
- Strong STEM attainment continues, with 47.1% of Chemistry students, 46.1% of Physics students and 43.6% of Biology students achieving grade 7 or above.
- Female participation in core STEM subjects increased by 0.8% overall. However, participation remains lower in some engineering-related subjects, with female entries in Design & Technology falling by 7.1% and Engineering falling by 22.5% compared with 2025.
Dr Laura Norton, head of equity, diversity and inclusion and WISE director at the IET, said: “It’s encouraging to see girls continuing to achieve strongly across GCSE subjects and to see broad participation across many core STEM disciplines.
“Engineering and technology are helping to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges, from developing cleaner energy systems to advancing digital technologies. To build the skilled and diverse workforce needed for the future, we must continue to ensure that girls and young women feel confident exploring the full range of STEM opportunities available to them.
“Visible role models remain incredibly important. By showcasing the wide variety of pathways into engineering and technology, and highlighting women already thriving in these careers, we can help more young women see themselves as the engineers, innovators and problem-solvers of the future,” she added.
A Level results last week showed more girls pursuing STEM A Levels, EngineeringUK has also said. But, again, more still needed to be done.
“Currently women make up just 17% of the engineering and technology workforce,” said Becca Gooch, head of research at EngineeringUK.
“Addressing this gender imbalance would help the country meet its workforce needs as well as giving women a financial boost. It’s great to see positive movement, but there is still more to be done to increase the uptake of STEM subjects among girls.”
Separately, a steel manufacturer has warned that the surge in demand for technical careers is being met with a shrinking number of opportunities in manufacturing.
An analysis of figures from the BBC by Tadweld has suggested that applications for degree apprenticeships through the government’s central platform have risen from 8,100 to 21,800 in three years. Yet available positions have almost halved from 7,300 to 3,700.
Chris Houston, managing director at the company, said: “It is incredibly frustrating that, just as young people are showing greater interest in vocational education and technical careers, businesses are finding it harder to offer the apprenticeship places they need.”
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