Women in Engineering at ACE

Transitioning into the professional engineering world brings its own set of challenges. In this field, you are always facing new hurdles, especially when designing custom solutions from scratch. Whether it involves shifting specialities, such as moving from biomedical to mechanical engineering, or having to adapt project strategies midway to meet a client's evolving needs, flexibility is key.

In the past, the industry often held traditional mindsets about who fitted the mould of a typical engineer. Early in their careers, some professionals faced environments where technical input was double-checked, where people assumed a female technical correspondent held a secretarial role, or where engineers in factory environments gave technical answers only for clients to wait for a male colleague's confirmation. Overcoming these initial situations and building up respect on the production floor requires patience and confidence. Often, the toughest challenge isn't the technical work, but navigating professional dynamics. While subtle biases still exist, overcoming them builds resilience. Fortunately, once the quality of the work speaks for itself, these behaviours fade, and the focus shifts entirely to competence and results.

Furthermore, career paths in engineering intersect with major life events, such as returning to the industry after a maternity leave, or moving abroad for an international internship. Stepping far outside one's comfort zone, whether that means working in a new language and culture, or catching up on the latest technological developments and industry tools after a career break, demands immense resilience and adaptability.

However, the industry is evolving rapidly. Overcoming these hurdles ultimately comes down to one thing: competence. By focusing on producing responsible, high-quality work, communicating assertively, and solving complex problems efficiently, the focus shifts entirely to the results. Challenges become learning opportunities, forging resilient professionals who are confident in their technical abilities and ready to take on leadership roles.

Having a strong support system and finding the right mentors, managers who encourage their teams to trust their expertise and speak up for their solutions, is crucial. In the age of social media, representation is also more accessible than ever. Seeking inspiration from professionals who share their engineering journeys online can make a huge difference for young talent entering the field.

When discussing what keeps them motivated, members of our own global team highlighted several inspiring figures they follow closely. Looking at these role models, whether it is Eleonora Svanberg sharing her journey in STEM, accounts like 'She Builds Robots' highlighting the creative intersection of technology and fashion, or Stefanie Dechant providing insights into motorsport engineering, helps showcase the vast, exciting opportunities available in the modern engineering landscape. Building strong relationships not only boosts professional confidence but also creates a valuable network of future colleagues and industry contacts.

As one of our engineers points out, there’s still room to create environments where people feel less pressure and where everyone feels valued and respected. Everyone should feel that they belong in the field of engineering, if that is where their interests and talents lie. This field truly benefits from diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and ways of thinking. The more we can focus on talent, enthusiasm, and skills rather than on assumptions or expectations, the stronger the profession will become. In that sense, a quote from Ivern Ball sums up quite well what engineering means to them: “Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch.”

To mark International Women in Engineering Day, the engineers across our global offices shared their best advice for young talent entering the field.