Every year on June 23, we mark International Women in Engineering Day, a global celebration of the achievements, leadership, and impact of women in the engineering profession. At the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), we take this opportunity to not only celebrate progress, but to reaffirm our commitment to building an engineering profession that is inclusive, representative, and resilient.
Women are helping design the future, literally. Their contributions can be found in the energy systems that power our homes, the infrastructure that connects us, and the technologies that transform industries. Yet, despite these remarkable contributions, women continue to be significantly underrepresented in engineering.
According to Engineers Canada’s 2023 National Membership Report, only 15% of professional engineers in Canada identified as women in 2022. While that number reflects incremental progress, it also highlights the persistence of systemic barriers: unequal pay, limited access to leadership, underrepresentation in some engineering disciplines, and workplace cultures that don’t always welcome difference.
This is why International Women in Engineering Day is not just about recognition, it’s a call to action.
At OSPE, we believe that a more equitable profession isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s essential to engineering excellence. Diverse teams lead to more innovative thinking, better problem-solving, and safer, more sustainable solutions.
We continue to advocate for:
- Inclusive hiring and retention practices across engineering workplaces
- Mentorship, leadership training, and visibility for women engineers
- Equity-centered data collection and policy research to inform systemic change
- Support for racialized and internationally trained women engineers, through partnerships and outreach
We are also proud of the ongoing work of our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility (EDIA) Task Force, which is helping shape more inclusive practices across the profession.
This day is for the women designing the next generation of energy infrastructure, solving climate challenges, building accessible technology, and mentoring the engineers of tomorrow.
But celebration must go hand in hand with action. Women in engineering deserve more than acknowledgment, they deserve workplaces that are fair, inclusive, and built for them to thrive.
At OSPE, we are committed to creating a profession where everyone has an equal opportunity to innovate, lead, and shape Ontario’s future.
To all women in engineering: thank you. We celebrate you today and every day.
#INWED2025 #WomenInEngineering #EngineeringEquity #OSPE
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