At a time when technology is shaping our daily lives—from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity—the issue of gender diversity in engineering professions is no longer an option; it is a strategic and societal necessity. At 3iL Ingénieurs, under the leadership of our director, Dominique Baillargeat, increasing the number of women in our programs has become a top priority.
A finding that calls for action
The digital sector faces a shortage of workers, but above all, it lacks diversity. As Dominique Baillargeat, director of 3iL Ingénieurs and vice president of the CDEFI (Conference of Directors of French Engineering Schools), recently pointed out, expanding the talent pool by including more women is a key driver of economic development.
Yet obstacles remain. Studies show that nearly 40% of female engineering students were discouraged from pursuing science-related fields at some point in their academic careers. Faced with this “waste of talent,” 3iL Ingénieurs is taking action to break down stereotypes and prove that computer science has no gender.
Concrete actions to make a difference
To turn words into action, our school is implementing a comprehensive action plan designed to support young girls starting in middle school and high school:
- Sharing Role Models: Through events such as the “Women in Engineering” webinar or roundtable discussions during our immersion days, our student ambassadors and faculty members (such as Ms. Raja Chiky, Director of Corporate Relations) share their inspiring stories.
- Awareness-raising and hands-on experience: we actively take part in initiatives such as Girls Can Code and Turgot Tech For Girls to enable schoolgirls to gain practical experience of coding and technology in a supportive environment.
- Strong internal support: the school has appointed gender equality officers and organises awareness-raising sessions on gender equality. We are also tackling period poverty through the R’Libres scheme, which has won an award from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, as inclusion also depends on everyday wellbeing on our campuses.
- Committed partnerships: We work hand in hand with networks such as Femmes@Numérique to connect our female students with professionals in the sector.
Financial support and a supportive presence from an early age
To remove the financial barriers that all too often still stand in the way of those wishing to pursue a career in engineering, 3iL Ingénieurs has introduced a specific scholarship scheme available from the first year (Bac+1); the school will award a scholarship of €2,000 to five young women who enrol on our integrated preparatory programme, as well as to five young women who enrol on our post-baccalaureate course in cyber security. The aim is clear: to break down preconceptions about careers in digital technology as early as possible, so that every pupil, regardless of their gender, can envisage a career in technology with ambition and confidence.
A Humanistic Vision of the Engineer of Tomorrow
Making the digital and IT sectors more gender-balanced also means ensuring that technologies are more equitable. A digital world designed solely by men risks perpetuating harmful algorithmic biases. By involving more women, we bring different perspectives, which are essential for innovation and business performance.
At 3iL Ingénieurs, our values are based on this balance: training technical experts who are also compassionate and responsible managers. The diversity of our cohorts is key to bringing different management styles into dialogue and preparing our graduates for the realities of the professional world.
You, too, can become a key player in the digital world!
As the Parcoursup application period gets underway, we’re calling on all female sixth-formers with a passion for innovation: don’t listen to the stereotypes. The digital sector needs your creativity, your rigour and your vision.
Would you like to find out more or have a chat with our students?
- Come and meet us at our upcoming Immersion Days
The digital sector is also shaped by women. Join 3iL Ingénieurs to build your future.
- Find out more about our commitments and our rankings
- Book an appointment with a careers adviser