Dina Murtazina
Electrical Engineer, RED
Carole McNamee
Lead Process / Project Engineer, RED
Women can expect a rewarding and exciting career as an engineer contributing to projects that make a difference all over the world.
Engineering promises an enriching and varied career, attests Carole McNamee, lead process and project engineer at RED. It can also mean seeing tangible results of professional achievements in the wider world.
“When I’m visiting some of the constructions that I was making designs for, I feel that a lot of the processes in that building function because of ideas and work that me and my team have done,” says Dina Murtazina, electrical engineer at RED.
Pursuing an engineering career
An interest in STEM subjects at school was key to getting into engineering for Murtazina: “I really loved physics and maths at school. My father was an electrical engineer and he used to explain to me how electrical things worked. It helped me choose this career direction.”
Role models play an important part in encouraging women into engineering and fostering career progression, as McNamee discovered while studying. “My college lecturer had a massive influence on me to progress with engineering, she always displays such a strong passion/enthusiasm for the subject,” she says. “It was inspirational.”
Sometimes it can be a male dominated industry, but from my experience to date, gender isn’t an issue.
Carole McNamee
Women in engineering
Having more women in engineering improves female representation and enhances the visibility of tech careers to a wider audience. “It could make more girls believe that they could be good engineers and see the benefits of this career,” says Murtazina. It’s also an opportunity for women to have fulfilling and impactful jobs. “Engineering is a fantastic and highly rewarding career,” says McNamee. “Gender diversity will enhance the industry and provide a more balanced and productive workplace.”
The engineering sector remains male-dominated, yet it’s becoming increasingly inclusive and opportunities for women are growing more than ever. “I’m comfortable being a woman in engineering,” says McNamee. “Sometimes it can be a male dominated industry, but from my experience to date, gender isn’t an issue. Teamwork is at the forefront of engineering and an aspect that I really enjoy.”
Advice for female engineers
For women looking to take the leap into engineering, McNamee suggests spending time to discover personal interests and passions in engineering. “Explore the different areas that engineering has to offer early in your career to give a deeper understanding of its elements and to help you find your preferred area,” she says.
Murtazina adds it’s important to step out of personal comfort zones. “Be ready for challenges and don’t be afraid of them,” she says.
