b'6 Partner News Winter 2023IET updatesEquality, Diversity and Equality updateand Simon Timmis, IET, shared their tips for improving organisational EDI with host Yewande Akinola MBE FIET. The event is available on our YouTube channel: bit.ly/reflect-webinarIn August we also supported the annual REflect event for young people from ethnically diverse and/or low socio-economic backgrounds, bringing them together with role models from engineering & technology. There are opportunities for Partners to get involved with this annual event. Our Young Woman Engineer (YWE) of theThank you to all our YWE sponsors.Year Awards honour and celebrate early career women engineers working in the UK.Take a look at the recording from our Take a look at our Inclusive Thinking This years ceremony was hosted by Anne- REflect webinar, delivered with our partnerscampaign to share your tip or insight on Marie Imafidon on 7 December at IET London:RS Grass Roots and AFBE. Panelists Dr Nikehow to embed inclusive thinking acrossSavoy Place. Visit the website to learn aboutFolayan, AFBE, Dr Hilary Leevers, Engineeringthe engineering and technology sector:this years finalists and winner: theiet.org/ywe.UK, Isabella Mascarenhas, RS Grass Roots,bit.ly/inclusive-thinking Exploring neurodiversity in engineering and technologyThis year we embarked on a study toIt is estimated that between 14% - 20%strengths of each individual is in itself a understand more about the extentof the UK population are neurodivergent.form of stereotyping. Of course, not all of neurodiversity in engineering andHowever, there is little data available on theneurodivergent people demonstrate the technology. The project has been led byextent of neurodiversity in employment andsame strengths. an Advisory Group with lived experiencein engineering and technology specifically.of neurodiversity, working with the IET EDIHowever, whatever the talents, skills and team and research consultants who areA survey we conducted in 2022 foundabilities of neurodivergent people may be, it themselves neurodiverse or have experiencethat 9% of IET volunteers identified asis often the behaviour of others that enables of working with neurodiverse people.neurodiverse and another 10% said they were or inhibitsthose talents flourishing in unsure if they were neurodiverse. Footholdthe workplace. Its clear that neurodivergent As part of this work, weve heard first-handestimates there are 820,000 neurodiversepeople can face significant challenges in experiences from IET members around howengineers working in the UK alone. terms of access, progression, and retention. we create a culture in which all engineers thrive. The results from this work will beBenefits Often neurodivergent people are left to available in winter 2023 and the report willWe understand that diversity of thoughtadvocate on their own behalf for reasonable include recommendations on actions we canand thinking styles are vital in solving globaladjustments to help address challenges. We all take to create a more inclusive workplacechallenges and engineering a better world.need to make our workplaces more inclusive for neurodiverse professionals. Creating a culture in which all engineersfor all to gain the benefits, skills, and thrive is not only the right thing to do,creativity of the whole workforce. What is neurodiversity?but it is also essential for the future of The term neurodiversity is used to describeengineering. The IET neurodiversity member the concept that all humans vary in terms ofnetwork is a supportive peer to peer our neurocognitive ability. (Genius Within) Whilst neurodivergent employees are anetwork for IET members, to join contact The term neurodivergent is used heresource of talent, of course, only some of theinclusion@theiet.org to describe people who have less typicalskills and abilities they bring are related to neurotypes. These may include ADHD,neurodiversity. Many neurodivergent people Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia,are simply just good at their jobs, and to Dysgraphia, Hyperlexia, Synethesia, andascribe special talents to all neurodivergent Tourette Syndrome.people without understanding the'