MIDDLESBROUGH, United Kingdom, Jan. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Broadcaster, journalist and author Steph McGovern returned to her Teesside roots to officially launch a major new scholarship programme aimed at increasing the number of women entering the engineering profession.
The Steph McGovern Women in Engineering Scholarship powered by Enginuity will provide support for every first-year, full-time female Engineering student at Teesside University, thanks to £44,000 of funding from Enginuity, the engineering skills charity.
At a special event held in the University’s Digital Life Building, the inaugural scholars learned for the first time that they would receive support from Steph herself throughout their studies.
Before starting her career as a broadcaster, the Middlesbrough-born presenter worked an engineer at Black & Decker where she won the Young Engineer for Britain award at the age of 19. She remains a committed advocate for widening access to engineering careers.
In 2013, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Professional Achievement by Teesside University.
Steph McGovern said: “I can’t tell you how delighted I am to help make this happen,” said Steph, “if we want to make the world a better place for everyone, we need more women involved in the designing, making and running of it and to me that means more female engineers.
“There are so many unnecessary barriers women have to overcome to get on the right path to a rewarding career, whether financial, prejudicial, ignorance or pure peer pressure – so anything that I can do to tear one or two of them down – brings me untold joy.”
The scholarship forms a key partnership between Teesside University, Enginuity, and Steph to help address the under-representation of women in engineering.
Nationally, in 2025, women accounted for only 16.9% of the engineering workforce, compared with 56% across other occupations.
Professor Mark Simpson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor designate at Teesside University, said: “Empowering students to thrive and embracing diversity are at the heart of Teesside University’s mission and values.
“We are delighted to partner with Steph and Enginuity to deliver this fantastic scholarship which will support greater diversity in engineering and ensure that more female students have the opportunities, encouragement and resources to succeed.
“This scholarship sends a powerful message about the talent we have in the Tees Valley and the importance of widening participation in STEM.”
Ann Watson, CEO of Enginuity, who herself hails from Teesside, said that the partnership with Steph and Teesside University would be a powerful collaboration which can only be a positive step in cracking the conundrum of producing more female engineers:
“Steph is a terrific role model and so tuned in to the barriers that women face entering our crucial sector, who better to be the face and voice of this initiative!
“There is massive investment in place for the region, to support advanced manufacturing, bio-tech and carbon capture – we need to help regenerate this industrial heartland by giving these projects the oxygen that skills provide.
“Industry is desperate need of a flowing pipeline of skilled people and encouraging more women in to the system is not just the right thing to do – but an absolute necessity.
“As someone who grew up on Teesside and the first person in my family to go to University and that University being Teesside, I know first-hand the life changing difference that these scholarships can make opening up the world of higher education for these aspiring engineers.”
The programme will continue throughout the academic year, offering students financial assistance, mentoring opportunities and a connection to Steph’s ongoing professional support.
Steph marked the occasion by meeting the 7 female students in the first cohort of scholarship recipients and by recording her hit podcast Steph on Skills – powered by Enginuity
www.enginuity.org
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d6257512-bcd5-4efd-899b-9cee640c6f71