Who is experiencing weathering? A question of belonging in the engineering profession

Abstract

Despite persistent efforts to diversify the engineering profession, inequities persist. As part of a larger research project on career paths, the authors conducted a large-scale survey of Canadian engineers with a minimum of 10 years’ experience in professional practice. This line of analysis explores Canadian engineers’ personal sense of belonging in the engineering profession. Results indicate that while 58.1% of survey respondents had a high sense of belonging, racialized women and white women disproportionately rated a lower sense of belonging, despite increases in representation. Further investigation reveals that for racialized women continued low visibility, discrimination, barriers to licensing, and views on what counts as engineering work were some of the reasons for a lower sense of belonging. This mixed-methods research reveals the hidden curriculum – institutional mechanisms – within the profession that contributes to weathering in the profession and highlights the importance of using an intersectional lens when looking at belonging.