A LANCASHIRE engineer who is at the cutting edge of aviation technology is urging more women to take up the career.

Jenny Westworth's work involves exploring how titanium and aluminium aircraft components can be made using a 3D printer.

After eight years at BAE Systems in Salmesbury, she has never regretted going into engineering as a career - one of a number of women whose vital industry skills were highlighted yesterday as part of National Women in Engineering Day.

From the moment she took her maths and science A-Levels she said she knew she was following the right career, but didn't quite know which area she wanted to specialise in.

She said: "My dad suggested looking into apprenticeships and I chose to do aeronautical engineering at BAE because it's such a varied company."

She was one of 10 women in an intake of 81 that year, which she said was quite high as there was usually only one or two women.

"It was a very male dominated environment but we all rose to it and the lads were great," she said.

In the UK, only six per cent of engineers are currently women.

After working in all areas of the business and studying part-time for a related degree at Liverpool's John Moore's University, Jenny is now working with a team of a dozen men looking at how they can use 3D printing to making metal components for Hawk aircraft.

"I decided I wanted to go into manufacturing, it's really interesting and quite challenging," Jenny said. "We are still in the learning phase, we are on a learning curve."

Jenny, 26 wants girls thinking about their careers to consider how engineering has changed over the past few decades.

"It's completely different. It can be absolutely anything, I think younger people, particularly girls, do not realise it's not wearing a boilersuit and a hard hat. A lot of technical stuff happens in front of a screen in an office. Working in the industry for eight years has made studying for a degree much easier as well," she said.

A BAE spokeswoman said they make a 'conscious effort' to get women to apply for their apprenticeships and other jobs. "The lack of women in engineering is a very significant problem, contributing to skills shortages which damage the economy. If we continue to fail to attract women into engineering, the UK will be in a significantly weakened position to find the 1.82 million engineers it is estimated the country will need 2012-2022. Addressing the gender imbalance in engineering also needs to remain high on the government’s agenda," said Naomi Climer, President-elect of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

National Women in Engineering Day is the brainchild of the Women's Engineering Society to encourage more females to enter the industry. More details at www.wes.org