Abstract
The steel industry is one of the largest sectors in South African manufacturing. For companies in this sector to be competitive and successful, skills such as physical metallurgy are essential. Engineering in South Africa is characterised by a shortage of female participants. As such, in line with employment equity, companies — including foundries — have a mandate to employ as well as upskill female technicians/technologists and engineers. This paper discusses questions relating to the progression of professional females working in the foundry industry as metallurgists and recommends strategies that foundries can adopt as retention and developmental plans. Failure to address this subject will entail susceptibility of the foundry industry to lose its qualified female professionals due to lack of growth and diversity. A mixed-method approach, identified as the third methodological movement or paradigm, was adopted as it included online surveys with qualified metallurgists employed in the steel foundry industry, and structured virtual interviews with technical and hiring managers collaborating with physical metallurgists. Four main factors contributing to career progression of female physical metallurgists in the steel foundry industry were found. The paper concludes by making recommendations that can be implemented and used by foundries, physical metallurgists, and institutes in the foundry fraternity to create working environments that support and enable the career progression of female physical metallurgists in the steel foundry industry in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.