Transport Minister met with female engineers
at Waterloo Station to mark International Women in Engineering
Day and to discuss their vital role in Britain’s transport
industry.
The minister met 7 engineers working across a number of Network
Rail projects to find out about their work and their experiences
in the industry.
Today (23 June 2017) is International Women in Engineering Day,
which aims to raise the profile of women in engineering around
the world and focus attention on the exciting career
opportunities available to women in the industry.
Transport Minister said:
At a time when we need more skills to make our transport
infrastructure the best in the world, just 12% of people in the
UK engineering industry are women. This is unacceptable and
means we are missing so much talent and so much potential in
this crucial field.
So to meet women who are so enthusiastic about their careers in
the transport industry is as inspiring as it is meaningful.
Female engineers can and will play a vital role as we deliver
unprecedented investment in transport infrastructure over the
coming years.
I am determined to draw on female talent in the transport
sector because it is right to attract the best and brightest
people. We need more high calibre women to join, and I
encourage young women to rise to this challenge; to choose an
exciting career in engineering. They will build Britain’s
future.
Charlotte Cove, Engineer at Network Rail said:
I got into engineering because my dad encouraged me. I went
to an all girl’s school and didn’t have much support when it
came to considering the right GCSE and
A level choices to become an engineer — I was very lucky to
have my dad and his engineering contacts.
I know that there is a perception among girls that engineers
get dirty and wield spanners and screwdrivers all day —
that’s not what I do, I’m more likely to have a pen and
calculator in my hand.
I would strongly recommend engineering as a profession to all
girls, simply because it’s such a fulfilling career; it’s
stable, well-paid and you get so much respect from your
colleagues. It fulfils your creative side as well.
The minister discussed the upcoming Year of Engineering
campaign, which begins next year and will showcase the breadth
of careers available to young people in engineering, as well as
highlight the government’s focus on encouraging more girls to
become engineers.
The Network Rail engineers spoke with the minister about their
paths into the transport sector; including what inspired them
to pursue careers in engineering and their experiences at
school and university. They advocated the diverse range of
work, and the daily opportunities to be creative and
problem-solve. They also discussed what could be done across
the sector to encourage more women to pursue engineering roles,
such as increasing liaison with schools to raise the profile of
engineering with girls at a young age.
