Middlesbrough-born broadcaster Steph McGovern has returned to her Teesside roots to help open doors for the next generation of female engineers.
A new scholarship at Teesside University will support first-year female engineering students, aiming to tackle the continued under-representation of women in the sector.
The Steph McGovern Women in Engineering Scholarship, powered by engineering skills charity Enginuity, has been made possible through £44,000 of funding. It will offer support to every first-year, full-time female engineering student at Teesside University.
The programme was officially launched at a special event in the university’s Digital Life Building, where the first group of scholars found out they would not only receive financial assistance, but also support and encouragement from Steph herself throughout their studies.
For Steph, the project is personal.
Before becoming a well-known broadcaster, journalist and author, she began her own career in engineering, working at Black & Decker and winning the Young Engineer for Britain award at just 19.
The Middlesbrough-born presenter has long been an advocate for widening access to engineering careers and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Professional Achievement by Teesside University in 2013.
Steph said she was delighted to be part of a scheme that helps remove barriers for young women entering the profession.
She said more women need to be involved in “the designing, making and running” of the world, adding that financial pressure, prejudice, lack of awareness and peer pressure can all get in the way of women pursuing careers in engineering.
The scholarship is a partnership between Teesside University, Enginuity and Steph, with a shared aim of increasing diversity in engineering and helping more women see the industry as a realistic, rewarding career path.
Nationally, women made up just 16.9% of the engineering workforce in 2025, compared with 56% across other occupations.
Professor Mark Simpson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor Designate at Teesside University, said the scholarship reflects the university’s commitment to helping students thrive and widening access to STEM subjects.
He said the partnership sends an important message about talent in the Tees Valley, as well as the need to make sure more female students have the opportunities, resources and encouragement they need to succeed.
Ann Watson, CEO of Enginuity, also has Teesside roots and said the partnership could play a meaningful role in helping more women enter engineering.
She said the region is seeing major investment in areas such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and carbon capture, and that skills will be vital if Teesside is to make the most of those opportunities.
Ann, who was the first person in her family to go to university and studied at Teesside herself, said she knows how life-changing this kind of support can be.
The scholarship will continue throughout the academic year, offering students financial assistance, mentoring opportunities and a link to Steph’s professional support network.
For the first group of scholars, it means more than extra help with study costs. It is a signal that they belong in the room, in the workshop, in the lab, and in the future of engineering.
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Middlesbrough-born Steph McGovern has returned to Teesside to launch a new scholarship supporting women in engineering at Teesside University.
The scheme will support first-year female engineering students with funding, mentoring and professional encouragement, helping to tackle the gender gap in one of the UK’s most important industries.
A proper Teesside full-circle moment. From local roots to national success, and now helping the next generation build what comes next.
