CLOSING THE GENDER GAP | TRAINING & RECRUITMENT


difference, to help support the energy transition and they see nuclear and the wider low-carbon sector as contributing to that.” However, while perceptions of the industry may


have improved, the underlying skills challenge remains substantial. Although Assystem’s UK workforce has a comparatively young average age of around 40, Proctor notes that the wider industry still faces what she describes as a “demographic cliff edge”, given the mounting pressures as experienced workers approach retirement and the number of young people entering STEM remains insufficient to meet future demand. “We still see systemic issues in terms of people taking


up STEM subjects,” she says. “You see that at a very early age. You see it at schools. Fewer people take those subjects at A-level, that translates into university and then into industry.” The problem is particularly acute for women. While


female participation in STEM has improved in some disciplines, engineering and physics continue to lag behind many other professions. Proctor believes the solution must begin long before recruitment. “We absolutely have a role as a sector, not just as an


organisation,” she says. “We have to influence young women and girls at a very early age in terms of providing role models, openly talking about different options and getting children excited about science and maths.” This emphasis on early intervention reflects growing


evidence that perceptions of STEM careers are often formed during childhood and early adolescence. As Proctor argues, by the time students make subject choices at secondary school, many assumptions about career suitability have already become embedded.


Building the pipeline Assystem’s response centres on what Proctor describes as three areas of focus. The first is building the talent


pipeline. The company works with the Engineering Development Trust and the Industrial Cadets programme, with graduate employees mentoring students and supporting STEM projects in schools. “We partner with schools where girls are on the


programme,” says Proctor. “One of our key initiatives is working with the Industrial Cadets programme and our graduates to give young people real project experience of exciting STEM subjects and hopefully influence careers.” The company also encourages employees to participate


in community outreach through volunteer days, enabling engineers and other professionals to engage directly with schools and local communities. Importantly, Assystem places significant emphasis on visibility. Proctor notes: “If you’re turning up at a school and


you’ve got a couple of engineers and they’re both male, that in itself can send an almost subliminal message.” As a result, the company consciously seeks to involve


female engineers and technical specialists in outreach activities. “I think that role model piece is incredibly important,” she says, adding: “What you see, you can be.” The same philosophy extends into university


engagement. Assystem targets institutions with higher levels of female participation in engineering disciplines and runs events specifically aimed at supporting female graduates entering the profession. The objective is not simply to recruit talent but to challenge assumptions about who belongs in engineering. Indeed, representation at senior levels remains one of the most powerful signals an organisation can send. Assystem’s UK executive team currently has 42% female representation; a figure Proctor views as a significant achievement within a traditionally male-dominated industry. The company has also made recent appointments of women into senior operational and business leadership roles, including technical and engineering positions. “Having technical STEM women who are visible and being


www.neimagazine.com | July 2026 | 29


One of the world’s most influential nuclear scientists, Maria Salomea Skłodowska Curie. Source: Shutterstock Gen AI/Shutterstock.


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