•As COREN, APWEN call for diversity

By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The low percentage in the  engagement of women in the  Aviation  industry is one of the factors working against progress in the sector.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Mr. Matthew Pwajok who spoke at the SheEngineer 30% Club Launch/Award sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Speaking during the SheEngineer 30% Club Launch/Award held in Lagos with the theme: Integration and Implementation of gender-sensitive policies in the workplace, Pwajok disclosed that although the aviation sector has supported the nation’s GDP with over 241,000 jobs,  only about 13 per cent of jobs in aviation are held by women.

According to him, the aviation industry is grappling with methods to improve inclusion and diversity, with the majority of aircraft pilots, air traffic engineers, flight engineers, air traffic controllers and aviation administrators in Nigeria being male. He added that the executive side has not fared any better as only 3 per cent of managerial and executive positions are held by women.

“While there is a consensus amongst stakeholders that the aviation sector would deeply benefit from gender diversity and inclusion, there is however, no agreement on the best strategy to attain this.

“In recent years, organisations including the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched initiatives such as the IATA 25 by 2025 Gender Diversity Initiative, a voluntary initiative for the aviation sector to improve female representation in the industry.

“The campaign was to serve as an initial step to making the aviation industry more gender balanced. It also seeks to create opportunities for more women with sought- after aviation technical and policy qualifications and experience in the aviation sector across the globe.

“The International Civil Aviation Organisation in 2021, in a bid to encourage women in aviation, announced a 50 per cent discount on various aviation courses and certifications for women.

“This is one reason; the SheEngineer 30% Club is a welcome development. The 30 by 30 Strategy for achieving this laudable objective encompasses the four phases of Reach Out, Welcome In, Pull Through, and Keep Going (RWPK)”, he said.

In her welcome address, Engr. Elizabeth Eterigho, FNSE, FNSChE, President, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN, said the essence of the SheEngineer 30 per cent Club is to create a platform of an enabling environment for better productivity for women.

“With women making up about 50 per cent of the world’s population and contributing significantly to global GDP (gross domestic product), their participation in leadership roles is crucial to achieving sustainable development goals,” she said.

In her contribution, Dr Evi Viza, Programme Leader, MSC Quality Management University of West of Scotland who commended the initiative, urged policymakers and more organisations to sign a pledge to join the SheEngineer 30% Club.

According to her, it will make business sense and it is one of the best investments they will make in their business and their country.

“The 30% Club addresses a gap that has been there for years and aims to change the way businesses operate, what society expects, all in the bid to transform organisations to be productive, resilient and bring economic prosperity to their communities”, she said.

During her Concept Note presentation for the SheEngineer 30% Club Project, Grant Awardee, Engr. Felicia Agubata, FNSE disclosed that SheEngineer 30% Club, is a Royal Academy of Engineering UK-funded initiative, to build a voluntary network of professional engineering institutions, engineering businesses and organisations in the aviation, automotive and energy sectors in Lagos State, committed to achieving a 30% minimum gender balance within their workforce by 2030 using a 30 by 30 strategy.

According to her, the project would improve diversity and inclusion in these organisations and drive profitability, productivity and creativity and reduce skill shortage by encouraging more girls to take up engineering courses and careers.

“SheEngineer 30% Club will be carrying out some activities within six months of programme commencement in Aerospace, Automotive and Renewable Energy organisations in Lagos.

In her lecture, Managing Director, Ikeja Electric, Folake Soetan who spoke on Creating a More Inclusive Workplace: Gender-Sensitive Policies and Practices, said the benefits of inclusive diversity include increased talent retention, better brand reputation, increased acceptance and improved financial performance.