The Women in Engineering (WiE) Club at TRU has created a space for women to connect, learn, and feel supported in a field where women are still vastly underrepresented. According to Randstad Canada, women make up only 13 per cent of licensed engineers and 22 per cent of undergraduate engineering students. In 2017, Engineers Canada reported that only 14 per cent of engineers in fields such as computer engineering and mechanical engineering are women.
Founded in 2022, WiE is a student-led group that focuses on community building and career development for engineering students. The club runs events that bring students together, showcase professionals within the engineering field, and provide mentorship opportunities.
“We wanted to bring in speakers from different engineering companies so students could hear about the work being done,” vice president Diana Pokhilko said. “Even if those companies aren’t offering co-op placements, it’s still a chance to explore the wide range of engineering careers.”
The club isn’t just about networking and skill-building—it’s also about creating a supportive environment. A member of the club, Ya Ching Su, said it’s the welcoming atmosphere that stands out: “Overall, it’s really nice to be in a club where everyone is friendly and works hard. It’s just a nice environment to be in,” Su said.
Pokhilko, who studies software engineering, says retention is one of the biggest challenges for women in the program. “There aren’t that many girls to begin with, and a lot decide after the first year to go into something else. That makes me want to try harder with the club—it inspires me to stay,” Pokhilo said.
President Sarah Hill says the club has also been an important way to build peer connections. “Engineering is competitive and male-dominated, so I’ve had to work harder to stand out. But this club makes it easier to find people who understand that and want to support each other,” Hill said.
The WiE Club currently has about 15 consistent members, though attendance varies during busy weeks. This year, the co-presidents are planning to add more technical activities, including a workshop where students can set up home servers using Raspberry Pi. Past events have focused on networking and communication skills, while the club also pairs students with alumni and engineers-in-training for mentorship.
Although the group highlights women’s experiences, membership is open to all genders. “Our goal is to promote women in engineering, but our events are open to everyone, including [but not limited to]men, women, and non-binary people,” said Pokhilko.
Despite the barriers, the co-presidents say TRU’s engineering community is close-knit. “We know the students in the upper years and the newer students too,” Pokhilko said. “Having that connection makes a difference.”
WiE’s faculty advisor, Catherine Tatarniuk, an assistant teaching professor in the Faculty of Science, supports the group’s mission to make engineering at TRU more inclusive.
For Hill, the goal is to keep building momentum. “I’d love to see more people join,” she said. “The bigger the club gets, the more we can do.”