The paucity of women in critical jobs in aviation and aerospace, from pilots and engineers to senior management has led to the establishment by the Royal Aeronautical Society of the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Committee, whose main remit is to encourage more women into the industry.
The new group is the first to be set up in the UK representing women working in all sectors of the industry. It will be officially launched on October 16 at the RAeS Women in Aviation and Aerospace Conference, which is being sponsored by leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus UK.
The conference will also be the launch pad for the group's in-depth report into the current situation regarding women in the industry. The report concluded that the aviation and aerospace industry is missing out on a wealth of talent and creativity because so few women are employed in the key roles in the industry.
Estimates suggest that fewer than 6% of engineering professionals are female. However, Government data points to an even poorer representation of women in aerospace engineering, while CAA figures show that the number of women commercial pilots stubbornly remains below 4%.
"There are plenty of women working in all sectors of aviation and aerospace. The problem is that the vast majority are employed in the same functions that can be found in any other industry: clerical, administrative, human resources, marketing, public relations and sales," says the report.
Britain's aviation, aerospace and defence industries are of vital importance to the economy, both in terms of contribution to GDP and employment, but their success is heavily dependent on ensuring that the appropriate skills and workforce are in place.
The report brings this into sharp focus, noting that "Skills shortages remain a critical issue, despite the effects of the recession, as the aerospace sector is in competition with its suppliers and other engineering industries for a shrinking pool of potential employees."
The report argues that all the available statistics prove beyond reasonable doubt that although women represent at least 50% of the UK workforce, they are severely under-represented in most sectors of aviation, aerospace, defence and the military.
The report also highlights a serious shortage of female directors in aviation and aerospace companies, noting that several female non-executive directors have been brought in for their expertise in other markets and other disciplines, but no female pilot or engineer has yet made it to the boardroom.
Clare Walker, chair of the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Committee, concluded: "It still shocks us that, nearly 100 years after the first British woman gained her pilot's licence, women are still so badly under-represented in aviation and aerospace. Our new group is committed to change that, but we don't underestimate the scale of the task ahead of us. Despite equality legislation dating back to 1970, many good initiatives, many detailed reports and much debate, the issue is proving a hard nut to crack."
The Report can be downloaded from:
http://www.raes.org.uk/cms/uploaded/files/Women_in_Aviation_and_Aerospace.pdf
For more information visit www.aerosociety.com | 
