Addressing Career Development Challenges Faced by Young Female Engineers and Technologists in Nigeria

Abstract The increase in young female engineers and technologists in the energy sector over recent years can be attributed to the STEM education drive and other efforts, such as improved career counselling, initiatives by organizations to debunk stereotypes, and growing cultural acceptance of women in traditionally male-dominated fields. While this improvement has been very productive in increasing the number of female engineers and technologists, they still have several challenges to overcome as they strive to deliver and perform effectively in their various workspaces. As organizations within the sector continue to grow their local human resources, early attritions among female engineers and technologists will increase if these challenges are not managed, thus countering the progress made through STEM initiatives. Note that according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number of female engineering and technology university graduates is still at 22%, hence early exit will effectively drive down that number. This paper, therefore, is expository research using surveys and interviews of young female engineers and technologists to explore the various challenges they face. Emerging themes include workplace bias and stereotypes, lack of gender-friendly human resource policies, microaggressions and harassment, lack of gender-friendly infrastructure, and limited female mentorship opportunities. Exploring these themes from the perspective of these female engineers and technologists offered the opportunity to align their recommendations with industry best practices, which are presented in this paper. Thus, this paper offers strategies for organizations to better support and retain these young female engineers and technologists in the energy sector.