Driving the Future of Engineering with Diversity

When it comes to innovation, mentorship and diversity is invaluable and yet often overlooked. 

Particularly when it comes to the data centre industry – an already male-dominated industry – women often find themselves as one of very few female members of staff in their teams. This is a topic we explored in our Top 100 Women in Data Centres 2025 supplement, which advocated that more work needed to be done to keep women in the industry. 

With this in mind, we hear from Jane Neil, Supply Chain Manager at Subzero Engineering, about how an inclusive workplace culture integrates supportive policies and promotes collaboration as the key to driving innovation forward.

“A lack of female role models in leadership positions also makes it difficult for women to visualize their own future successes, especially for those in the earlier stages of their careers,” she explains. “Additionally, the demanding nature of engineering roles, combined with societal expectations surrounding caregiving, can create extra pressure for women in these fields.”

Eliminating unconscious biases

According to a report by EngineeringUK, women across engineering and technology professions worldwide dropped significantly from 16.5% (2022) to 15.7% (2023), pointing to an urgent gap in recruiting and retaining women.

“The scarcity of female role models in the male-dominated industry of engineering or STEM frequently leads to feelings of insecurity, lack of direction or not feeling involved in networking opportunities. This can result in demotivation and a downturn of creativity and ambition,” Jane says.

“Engineering innovation is entirely dependent on collaborative efforts. Diverse perspectives lead to more creative solutions and when teams are composed of individuals with different backgrounds, experience and points of view, they are better equipped to drive technological advancements.”

Jane suggests that companies embracing diversity and supporting mentorship opportunities will gain a competitive edge in the industry.

She says: “This not only benefits individuals but strengthens the industry, creating a future where innovation is driven by diverse minds working together.”

Mentor programmes work to advance workplace equality

Jane advocates that an important strategy to encourage diversity in the workplace is mentoring.

A mentor is able to provide the mentee with information about the industry, particularly when it comes to best practices, problem-solving and access to leadership programmes and employment opportunities.

“By having access to experts who can offer advocacy and career advice, a woman's confidence and advancement in her career path can be significantly impacted,” she explains. “Being mentored promotes a feeling of support, empowerment and reduces self-doubt and imposter.”

She adds: “Global organisations formed to assist in the mentoring of women and girls in STEM in the step gap between education and industry include IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) and the SWE Mentor Network and Mentoring Committee at The Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Both are global networks dedicated to promoting women engineers, technologists and scientists.”

Ultimately, workplaces that prioritise diversity must also continue to uphold a culture that not only encourages and supports women in engineering, but also helps businesses attract the best staff for the job.

“As well as being the moral thing to do, investing in mentorship and an inclusive culture is crucial for long-term success,” Jane says.

“Women in engineering and STEM fields profit from diversity initiatives, but so do the organisations they work for. By cultivating inclusive environments, companies can unleash the full potential of their workforce, to build a future where all engineers, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities to flourish, while reaping the innovation benefits that are yielded from full and open collaboration.”

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