Monday (23/6/25) marks International Women in Engineering Day (#INWED25), highlighting the achievements, contributions and impact of women engineers, while inspiring future generations to pursue careers in engineering. Leeds Manufacturing Festival fully supports the drive to make the sector more representative and has already been featured in the year-long 365 Faces of STEM campaign, being run by festival sponsor Enginuity, to promote diversity and positive role models in manufacturing and engineering.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Starting from International Women's Day 2025 and running through until International Women's Day 2026, the 365 Faces of STEM campaign is sharing the stories of remarkable women like Amanda McLaren, Cath Black, Steph Plazzi, Freya Wissett, Mehvish Khan and their allies who are shaping the future of careers in STEM.
Cath Black, operations manager at Sound Leisure said: "In line with our family business values, we actively support initiatives that promote manufacturing careers to young people and view workplace diversity as essential, demonstrated by the involvement of our female leaders in Leeds Manufacturing Festival events which include hosting factory tours, attending careers events, T-Level placements and collaboration works with UTC Leeds and Leeds City College and so much more."
To celebrate #INWED25, Leeds Manufacturing Festival is launching its new video, filmed at the Engineering Change: Women in Manufacturing event in May, a speed networking and fact-finding session hosted by Mount St Mary's Catholic High School in Leeds.
The event gave female students the opportunity to meet women working in manufacturing and find out more about careers and opportunities in the sector. It highlights how perceptions and ambitions can change when young girls get the chance to meet and talk to women forging careers in manufacturing and engineering.
Later next week, on Thursday 26/6/25, also sees the launch of the West Yorkshire Women in Manufacturing and Engineering Network, set up to drive change and increase representation of women in the sector.
Nationally women make up 28.9% of the manufacturing workforce, while in West Yorkshire it is just 27.1%. This is further reflected in apprenticeships, where the average is just 9% for women.
Mehvish Khan, trainee projects manager at electronic engineering firm Saftronics, commented: "For me, diversity and role models in manufacturing and engineering are super important and really matter is because seeing people from similar backgrounds or experiences doing well makes it feel more possible for the rest of us and shows others that there’s a place for everyone in the industry.
Freya Wissett, undergraduate project co-ordinator at Sulzer Pumps UK, says she is proud to be part of an industry where women are not just participating—but making a real impact: “Manufacturing is driven by innovation, and innovation thrives when it’s powered by diverse perspectives and that’s exactly what women bring to the table.
“Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to attend several career fairs and panels, including GirlTech, where I’ve loved sharing my own journey and encouraging young women to explore paths in manufacturing. Seeing their curiosity and ambition reminds me how important visibility is. When women see themselves represented in these roles, they start to believe they belong—and that they can lead.
“While women are still underrepresented in manufacturing, that’s exactly why we need to keep championing those who are here. Every time a woman steps into a technical or leadership role, it challenges outdated assumptions and helps make space for others.
"Working at Sulzer and being surrounded by women in leadership has been genuinely inspiring. It shows that change is happening—and I’m proud to be part of it."
Enginuity has published a toolkit for manufacturinng and engineering employers to help get more women and girls into STEM roles and apprenticeships. To find out more, visit: Women in STEM Apprenticeships Guide for Employers | Enginuity
