New report on equality, diversity and inclusion sets out road map for positive change in the offshore renewable energy sector
A new report calls for greater collaboration between schools, universities, business and government to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in the engineering sector.
Aura, together with the Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Hub has recently launched a scoping study looking at the current state of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the engineering sector, with a particular focus on the offshore renewable energy industry.
The report, launched at RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind 2020 conference at the end of October, outlines an action plan which focusses on short, medium and longer term initiatives to help improve EDI in the engineering sector, looking at each key stage of education and career development.
The report also highlights that whilst there are many groups working towards the goal of improving EDI in engineering there is a lack of collaboration and organisations need to cooperate better to work towards overall common objectives.
Louise Smith, Director of Aura (led by the University of Hull) commented:
“We are delighted to have facilitated this report, working closely with the Supergen ORE Hub and the industry. The study sets out a practical set of initiatives for academia and industry to really make a positive change and ensure more women and BAME engineers and scientists play key roles in this sector.”
Professor James Gilbert, Co-Director of the Supergen ORE Hub – lead for EDI, and Professor of Engineering at the University of Hull added:
“Increasing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can bring significant benefits to those organisations who embrace it but there are challenges in understanding how to bring about sustainable change. Long term change needs organisations, from schools and colleges to universities and industry to work together for a common purpose. This report identifies short, medium and long term actions to help bring about positive change through working together.”
This scoping report was researched and written Stefi McMaster, a PhD student in Psychology and part of the Centre for Human Factors at the University of Hull. The report has been funded by the Supergen ORE Hub and led by Aura at University of Hull, with support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The full EDI Report and the Executive Summary are both available to download on the Aura website: https://tinyurl.com/yxjfcns7
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