Elisabeth Eweka
Principal Consultant, Digital Advisory, Hoare Lea
What if STEM content looked like lifestyle content? Rethinking outreach for Gen Z.
PEOPLE
Fresh perspectives
New voices of the built environment
Bridging the gender gap in engineering is a topic that’s been doing the rounds in for years, maybe decades. We often go straight to the numbers: how many girls choose STEM A-levels, how many women graduate with engineering degrees, how many stay in the profession.
These statistics matter, but they don’t tell the full story. Despite all the hard work put in to get more girls and women into our profession, the percentage of those working in engineering and tech dropped from 16.5% in 2022 to 15.7% in 2023 (Engineering UK).
Clearly, traditional engineering outreach alone isn’t making a positive enough difference. And why is that? Long before a girl walks into her first lecture or job interview, she’s already been introduced to what engineering looks and feels like – and for many, it just doesn’t seem like it’s made for them.
How did I get into engineering? I liked art and maths. I had to Google careers that combined both. The only reason I picked engineering was because architecture was way too long (and Engr. Elisabeth Eweka just looked nice).
At university, I was one of five girls; during my master’s, one of seven. When I joined the industry I was the only girl on my team, twice. Despite the years of advocating for girls to join engineering, it just wasn’t happening. But why?
Where the gap begins.
We know that in primary school, gendered toys and role models shape how children see their future. It’s reinforced in secondary school where STEM subjects are often seen as intimidating or ‘boy subjects’. By the time a girl is 14 or 15, she may have ruled herself out of engineering without even realising it.
What’s not working.
Representation matters – but the old ways of achieving it are outdated. It’s not enough to show women in hard hats on posters. It’s about language, tone, context, and visibility. Gen Z, the first fully digital generation, don’t get career inspiration from leaflets and fairs. They’re on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They want to see engineers who look like them, speak like them, and share the same cultural spaces.
Too often, outreach feels dry and outdated. We’ve all seen the same campaigns: a smiling girl with a ruler and a caption that says ‘girls can do maths too!’ It’s patronising, and Gen Z sees right through it.
School talks that repeat the same script, initiatives that only reach a narrow audience, and a general lack of cultural relevance all contribute to the disconnection. You can’t inspire a generation if you’re not speaking their language. Gen Z are curious. They’re creators, activists, writing their own story. They care about climate, equality, innovation, and making a difference. Engineering should appeal to them. The disconnect isn’t about interest – it’s how the message is delivered.
Speaking the language.
After starting ENGRL (Instagram/TikTok: @engrl.co) a year ago, I realised that many girls and young people weren’t uninterested in engineering – they simply didn’t know what it actually was, and no one had really bothered to explain it to them. Reaching Gen Z means meeting them where they already are: on their screens, in their communities, within the digital culture they’ve created. Success comes from outreach that is...
Engaging: In a world where attention spans are shorter, we need to show engineering quickly and clearly – strong visuals, short-form content, storytelling that grabs attention in seconds.
Culturally relevant: Slang, emojis, memes and trending sounds are part of Gen Z’s everyday language. And just when you think you’ve finally got it… it changes. Staying tuned in matters. Get it right, and you connect. Get it wrong, and you’re instantly written off as ‘cringey.’
Genuinely fun: Yes, your project is great. Yes, your company is amazing. But why should young people care? Are you having fun and really enjoying the work, or do you wake up dreading having to speak to the QS for the 50th time? Whatever you do, be genuine!
Representation matters – but the old ways of achieving it are outdated. It’s not enough to show women in hard hats on posters. It’s about language, tone, context, and visibility.
Engineering as activism.
We need to stop thinking about outreach as education and start thinking of it as influence. Influencers shape culture. And if we want to shift how engineering is seen, we need start thinking like creators.
- Partner with young people to co-create content
- Use platforms such as TikTok and Instagram not just to promote companies, but to listen
- Be playful, honest, and bold with messaging
- Showcase engineering through the lens of creativity, culture, and community
Leave behind the one-size-fits-all approach – engineering has room for artists, activists, gamers, fashion designers, and environmentalists. We need to reflect that in everything we create. This means fully embracing the change from STEM to STEAM. Three creators doing it really well:
- Stemazing: stemazing.co.uk
- Motivez: motivez.co.uk
- SiSTEM: linkedin.com/company/sistem-uk
ENGRL doesn’t have all the answers but we’re asking new questions. What if STEM content looked like lifestyle content? What if outreach was led by students, not staff? What if girls saw engineering as a form of activism and not just academics? The future of engineering is not just diverse in gender, but in thought, tone, and culture.
Let’s stop telling girls to ‘choose engineering’ and start showing them why it’s already theirs.
LET'S TALK
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