Women in STEM IE - Q4 2022

Women in STEM

“The Irish reporting structure requires not just reporting of the gap but details of how the gap will be addressed over time.”

Gillian

Harford, Country Executive, 30% Club

“For many young women or women returning to work, choosing a career in technology is very often the road not taken.”

Clodagh McCabe and Amanda Jolliffe, Connecting Women in Tech (CWiT)

I see my role as an opportunity to deliver transport solutions that benefit future generations.

Mary Hurley Engineer of the Year 2022

Fostering inclusivity in STEM to broaden industry opportunities

There are potential economic and societal benefits of increasing broader participation in STEM subjects and from reaching out to those under-represented.

Reducing occupational segregation is not only a step toward greater equality of opportunity but it also fosters economic growth. An environment in which people bring their ‘whole selves’ and their ‘diverse perspectives’ to the field of work increases productivity. It ensures that goods and services are evaluated by a diverse group of creators and end-users.

Wider talent pool

Some undergraduate programmes within STEM find attracting diverse talent challenging; these include Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science and Statistics. Biological or Environmental fields with broader appeal, have helped us rethink why, how and what we teach from a disciplinary perspective.

Supportive programmes

In Trinity College Dublin, multi-disciplinary undergraduate degree programmes like Environmental Science and Engineering, and new joint honours programmes, such as Computer Science and Geography, are making a difference in increasing the participation of women.

Trinity was one of the first institutions in Ireland to receive an Athena SWAN bronze medal award for its concerted efforts in this area. In 2022, seven of the eight schools in STEM have now attained bronze school awards. Each has developed an action plan for identifying and reducing obstacles to equality and inclusion and made changes within its structures, cultures and curricula.

In response, we are seeing the percentage of women in the student body increasing. However, it is not just the number of students that demonstrates that positive progress is being made. It is also in the degree outcomes, career destinations and research successes of our growing participants.

Creating opportunities

With THREE Ireland, STEM in Trinity is delighted to offer financial and mentoring support to 25 worthy undergraduates across the four years of their STEM degree programmes. The first of these have started their career journeys, pursuing their personal ambitions while being ambassadors for diversity. As their STEM allies and supporters, we are inspired to think differently about how we view ourselves and how we seek to influence the world.

How to play a part in nurturing Ireland’s future engineering talent

To support the capacity of our future engineers to solve the greatest global challenges of their time, we need to inspire and empower young people to become the engineering leaders of the future.

Our future engineering graduates will be central to the successful delivery of ambitious infrastructural and technological initiatives and will be uniquely placed to support our climate goals and ambitions — and our continued transition to a low-carbon and resilient society. At Engineers Ireland, we believe that Ireland’s youth will play a key role in pushing the boundaries of innovation to protect and enhance our environment and society.

To deliver a sustainable, green and digital future across all aspects of our society — educators, engineering organisations and third-level institutions must work together to inspire and empower this next generation of innovators to pursue a career in engineering.

Inspiring future engineering talent Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme, which is the only national full-time STEM outreach programme with a focus on engineering, plays a key role in inspiring future generations of engineers by supporting teachers, industry and community leaders to engage with primary and secondary school pupils through a portfolio of projects.

In 2022, over 170,000 children directly interacted with the programme — an achievement made possible because of the dedication and commitment of teachers and volunteers from industry, academia and the wider engineering community nationwide.

Providing opportunities

STEPS Engineers Week provides children with the opportunity to discover engineering, facilitated by their teachers, parents and the local community. This is a key

initiative of the programme and enables students to explore the limitless opportunities a career in the engineering sector can offer by engaging in fun activities, online events and much more.

By engaging with students in their local community, the wider engineering community can play an active role in highlighting the limitless ways engineers in Ireland are pushing the boundaries of innovation.

Engagement with engineering professionals is an essential component of the week-long campaign, and with STEPS Engineers Week 2023 now on the horizon and taking place from 4th–10th March 2023, engineering professionals are encouraged to engage with their communities by hosting classroom visits or workshops. By engaging with students in their local community, the wider engineering community can play an active role in highlighting the limitless ways engineers in Ireland are pushing the boundaries of innovation.

Inspire, empower and engage With the support of engineering professionals and students as well as engineering employers across Ireland, teachers and community leaders, our goal is to ensure all children are given the opportunity to experience the creative and dynamic world of engineering.

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Professor Sylvia Draper Dean of the Faculty of STEM, Trinity College Dublin

Aisling O’Halloran Acting STEPS Team Lead, Engineers Ireland

More companies can encourage STEM careers with positive initiatives

Graduate programmes can help give a taste of different STEM career options, while in-company sustainability and diversity initiatives foster a positive work environment for recruits.

The scope of STEM roles means there are learning and professional opportunities for everyone. As Caroline Holland, senior packaging manager at PepsiCo Ireland, explains, “You don’t always need to be an expert in a specific area within science. You can build your own career, and creating the type of career you want for yourself is important. I love my job because I have an element of art combined with science and technology.”

Careers for graduates

Gaining exposure to different roles in a real work environment allows students to explore career options before they finish college. “As part of our intern programme, we engage with local universities, identify some of the great talent coming through in the third level and bring them in for a six-to-eight-month period in their third year,” says Maria Neville, director of IT at PepsiCo Ireland.

For students fresh out of college and looking for long-term work experience options, graduate programmes can be a useful tool to get a foot on the career ladder and get a feel of which professional route they wish to pursue. The company, for example, offers a two-year programme for science and technology graduates with yearly rotations to allow exposure to a variety of roles. Finance students have the option of joining a three-year graduate programme.

As part of our DE&I Agenda, we have brought in interns and graduates with different abilities, which allows us to expand our workforce and make sure we’re being inclusive while giving them a chance to learn and develop different skills,” says Neville.

Support through mentorships

Having mentors can be a useful way for graduates and new recruits to take advantage of learning opportunities and delve into a variety of professional interests while having someone on hand to guide them. They can ask questions and learn about the different STEM careers available.

“There are rewarding benefits for both the mentor and mentee in mentorships. It’s a chance for the mentor to give back,” Sharon Cronin, global quality engineering manager, says. It’s great to be able to talk with different professionals, understand the different roles and learn how to raise their career profiles.”

Sustainability matters

While graduate programmes and mentorship projects attract top talent to companies, actions such as adopting diversity-building initiatives and investing in sustainability will help develop, empower and retain recruits. It forms an integral part of creating a positive work environment and gives employees the chance to contribute to meaningful goals.

The company is transforming to put sustainability and people at

the centre of its business through a strategy launched in 2021 called PepsiCo Positive (pep+). Through pep+, the company is changing how it sources ingredients, makes and sells products and how it inspires people through its brands.

In its manufacturing, they are working to improve water usage and aiming for net zero emissions. Finally, through pep+, the company is working to bring a more diverse product range with options that are lower in added sugars, sodium and saturated fat and by using ingredients with a lower environmental footprint.

Promoting diversity

An integral part of pep+ is to also bring a positive impact to communities, farmers, suppliers and employees. This includes championing diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Internal work groups that bring employees together can help develop a diverse and inclusive company culture. Along with other in-company diversity schemes, the Women’s Inclusion Network aims to promote a work environment that attracts, retains and develops female talent.

“Diversity in teams is essential. The more diversity, the more creative you can become,” Cronin says.

“It empowers everyone to make a positive impact and contribute to the positive transformation agenda that we have. It’s important that everyone has a seat at the table, feels valued and is comfortable being themselves.”

Maria Neville Director of IT, PepsiCo Ireland

It’s great to be able to talk with different professionals, understand the different roles and learn how to raise their career profiles.

Paid for by PepsiCo Ireland

Image provided by Pepsico Ireland

Sharon Cronin Global Quality Engineering Manager, PepsiCo Ireland

Caroline Holland Senior Beverage Packaging Global Lab Manager, PepsiCo Ireland

Driving change: delivering sustainable transport solutions to enable placemaking

Many towns and villages across Ireland experience adverse social, economic, climate and environmental impacts due to a lack of appropriate infrastructure.

As part of my role managing major linear infrastructure projects, I strive to make a positive impact and create sustainable solutions for communities across Ireland. I see my role as an opportunity to deliver transport solutions that benefit future generations. Throughout my 20-year career, I have challenged preconceived ideas by developing innovative approaches to sustainable transport solutions.

Improving connectivity

Since 2020, I have been working as a project manager on the pre-planning phases of the N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction Project which will provide a reliable, sustainable transport solution and improve connectivity between Limerick and Waterford, encouraging local, regional, national and international development.

I have led our multidisciplinary team by identifying the transport issues along this corridor, key constraints and selection of a preferred transport solution. We took a step back from the focus of only providing new road infrastructure and considered all modes of transport. In this way, we are providing a human-centred, sustainable transport solution with an emphasis on walking, cycling and public transport. Building a new road is the last piece of the jigsaw.

Pushing for stable opportunities for women in the tech industry

An action-driven organisation comprised of 20+ tech companies have come together with a clear mission of attracting, retaining and promoting women in technology and business.

The saying that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” echoes true for Connecting Women in Tech (CWiT) and its members. Although all its member companies have strong diversity and inclusion strategies in place (which is a membership requirement), there is huge value in the collective power to empower women. In fact, one of our strengths in being a driver of gender diversity is that we naturally have many diverse perspectives due to the variety of companies, workplaces, roles and career paths present in the network.

industry. Meanwhile, our education committee is actively involved in numerous programmes to support the education sector.

Some of these are student-focused, such as Teen Turn, which supports young girls with STEM work placements and activities. Some are teacher-focused, such as the STEM Teacher Internship Programme which CWiT has been a strategic partner of since 2017.

Adaptability, communication and empathy are three of the greatest skill sets that engineers can possess.

Adaptability, empathy and experience

Adaptability, communication and empathy are three of the greatest skill sets that engineers can possess. External factors influence all projects, and we must ensure that we are keeping up to pace with the rapidly changing world. I believe in putting people at the heart of projects and am passionate about giving towns back to their people. It is only when we fully understand the problem that we can identify the correct solution.

Engineering the future

A career in engineering is full of endless opportunities. Engineers are central to transforming our world and finding innovative solutions to complex problems, such as the need to get people and goods moving more sustainably, design climate-resilient buildings and regenerate urban areas.

There is so much happening in the world, and we have the power to make an impact. We’re working to solve people’s problems. I hear about climate action on the news, and I have the opportunity to create sustainable solutions as part of my day-to-day work. For me, engineering is very rewarding and satisfying. I would encourage any student with a desire to drive change to pursue a STEM career.

Encouraging more participation Unfortunately, for many young women or women returning to work, choosing a career in technology is very often the road not taken. Our network has strategically broken into collaborative committees to explore pathways for encouraging and inspiring women so they can see that there is a place at the table for them and — more importantly — that they are needed.

Together with our members and partners, we offer several targeted programmes to raise the profile of women in the technology sector. We also contribute to programmes focused on inspiring the next generation of women to come.

Actions to cause reactions

Our Early Careers committee runs a multitude of events and programmes which provide visibility of the role that women already play in our sector — with programmes such as Tech Starter being an inspiration for many participants, showing them that they belong in the technology

Plenty done and more to do Regardless of industry, the reality is that the more work we do to empower and inspire women in technology and business, the more work we realise is required. We remain committed to our mission and take solace in our collective power to empower.

Mary Hurley Engineer of the Year 2022

What is it like to work in STEM at a global company?

Two young women in STEM explain the variety of career routes offered by a global solutions group.

Women at Jacobs are solving the world’s most critical problems.

They provide technical, scientific and project delivery services in sectors spanning intelligence, infrastructure, cyber security, climate response, space exploration, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Its graduate scheme offers the chance to explore the variety that working in STEM brings. We asked two young women what it’s like.

Q: Why did you choose to work for this company?

Emer O’Brien, who joined the graduate programme in 2021 as a mechanical engineer, says: “Jacobs

offers so much scope. It has three offices on the island of Ireland but is located in over 40 countries globally with a workforce of over 60,000 people — and it works in so many sectors. I’m currently in the pharmaceutical sector. First, I was involved in designing a pharma plant in Switzerland; and I’m now on a construction site in Dundalk, helping to build another plant. It’s interesting because each project is different.”

Katarzyna Bawolska, a member of the building information modelling (BIM) section of the company’s Design Automation Group says: “I joined in Krakow as a civil engineering graduate, later moved to Sweden, and now, I’m in Ireland. The company offers

interesting challenges and plenty of international opportunities.”

Q: What do you like about the graduate scheme?

EO: It introduces you to different areas of the company. As well as design and construction, I’ve had experience in sales and other business sectors. You’re paired with a mentor, so you benefit from their experience.

KB: I didn’t do the graduate programme. But I have worked with people on the scheme, and it provides wide experiences — which not all schemes do. The electronics sector that I work in has a very high level of BIM experience, and many experts here have been involved in BIM for years, so I learn a lot from them.

Q: How do you see your future in STEM?

EO: I’d like to gain as much experience as possible and do a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Jacobs has a scheme that may help fund that. Ultimately, I want to scale the corporate ladder here, preferably in project management or design.

KB: I am in a newly created position, so I will be building my team to 15 and passing my knowledge on to them, so we can provide project support. I want to climb the management ladder and, being in an international company, that could take me anywhere.

Paid for by Jacobs

There is so much happening in the world, and we have the power to make an impact. We’re working to solve people’s problems.

~ Mary Hurley, Engineer of the Year 2022

Emer O ‘Brien

Graduate Mechanical Engineer, Jacobs

Find out more at

careers.jacobs.com

WRITTEN BY Linda Whitney

Katarzyna Bawolska EMEA DAG Manger, Jacobs

Harford Country Executive, 30% Club

Gap to bridge: gender pay as a catalyst for progress

The gender pay gap can only be addressed by equal representation at every level in organisations, and that opens a window of opportunity for more focused action planning on STEM talent.

During this month, employers in Ireland will be publishing their gender pay gap (GPG) in compliance with the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021. The GPG is the difference in the average hourly wage of men and women across a workforce. Outcomes will range from single-digit percentages to more substantial gaps.

Under-representation of women

Organisations with previous experiences with GPG reporting will be familiar with the root causes of the variations. These range from structural biases in policy or the challenges of comparing roles of equal value. Ultimately, the gap is driven by the under-representation of women in higher-paid roles.

Under-representation is a more complex challenge to address, and STEM roles will have the potential to be particularly vulnerable to gender pay gaps until we can address the talent pipeline imbalance.

The action plan is more important than the gap

We know from experience in other countries that driving change to correct under-representation will need more than just aspirational thinking; it needs a cohesive plan that focuses on driving real change. Fortunately, the Irish reporting structure requires not just reporting of the gap but details of how the gap will be addressed over time.

The strongest opportunity arising from GPG reporting is the access to data, where organisations will have the metrics to understand where the highest incidences of gender under-representation occur and what

is driving gender-related patterns within their organisation.

Correct use of this data will provide the basis for more robust KPIs and opens the conversation to the idea of targets, particularly for more balanced representation at the most senior decision-making levels, in line with the ambitions of advocates such as the 30% Club and Balance for Better Business.

Within the STEM space, we need to focus on short and long-term ambitions that go beyond the workplace and into early education and alternative talent strategies. These include re-training, returner programmes and other workplace talent initiatives.

Role models and early exposure boost women’s interest in STEM

Two women share their experiences in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) industry and offer advice to inspire others.

Malone Marketing Manager, Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR)

Ana Santos and Maria Isabel Meza Silva both found their way into engineering professions, but that’s not all they have in common — they both share fond memories of their childhood, sparking their interests in STEM.

Natural problem-solver

Ana’s interest in STEM began with her doll’s hair. The doll came with coloured hairspray, and she found it so fascinating that she didn’t want it to run out. “My father read the contents of the hair spray container and said: ‘That’s a very simple composition. Let me make it for you!’ It was such a pleasure for me to keep using the hairspray without having to worry about it running out.”

For me, STEM careers are associated with solutions. I believe there’s always a way, and our capabilities are endless,” Ana adds.

Now, she is a water research engineer at Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR). Although Ana believes STEM is still generally a male-dominated environment, she’s pleased that it’s slowly changing, with many female role models in the industry to inspire her.

Within the STEM space, we need to focus on short and long-term ambitions that go beyond the workplace and into early education and alternative talent strategies.

Taking plans from the HR table to the boardroom

In parallel, the reporting and subsequent action planning require board oversight — which brings the conversation to a new level. Ultimately, GPG reporting takes the diversity representation question from the HR department to the boardroom, where ultimate ownership and support for change must sit.

For more information, visit: 30percentclub.org/chapters/ireland

For me, STEM careers are associated with solutions. I believe there’s always a way, and our capabilities are endless.

Finding value in everything

Isabel — who now leads IMR’s outreach and education programmes — remembers falling in love with engineering when her father brought her to a factory where her favourite cereal was made.

When Isabel moved to Ireland, she was surprised to learn that not everyone found the manufacturing industry as attractive as she did. Isabel says: “All you need to do is look around to understand the value of manufacturing. It’s everywhere — from the phones we use to the food we consume.”

She explains that the goal in her current role is “to bridge the gap between the school’s curriculum and the industry’s needs by sparking enthusiasm towards advanced manufacturing and STEM.” She adds that girls often grow up believing that STEM is for boys, and they’re better than girls in this field. “Showcasing STEM role models can have a positive influence on girls’ interest and engagement with STEM.”

Encouraging industry interest

IMR is working to create hands-on learning environments for classrooms which can increase girls’ self-confidence and self-efficacy. Their programme promotes real-world learning opportunities, and they’ve had success with their latest evaluation revealing that 60% of the participants considered a manufacturing/engineering career after completion.

Isabel concludes: “It’s our duty to work in collaboration with schools, the Government and industry to raise awareness of the exciting and rewarding career opportunities in the manufacturing industry available for students.”

Gillian

Niamh

Why we want to encourage more women into the tech sector

Less women study STEM, less roles are filled by women, there are no tech role models to help reshape the future. It’s therefore essential that industry works to help make STEM subjects more appealing to women and develop the necessary policies to support them through their careers.

Encouraging equality

Nisha Mallesh — Engineering Manager at global e-commerce marketplace, Groupon — aims to encourage more women into tech careers. “I’m from Bengaluru, India and my university had a 50:50 ratio of male to female engineering graduates. I was surprised when I moved to Ireland to see such a lack of female representation in the tech industry. This inspired me to do something about it.” That included kickstarting the company’s Women in Tech (WIT) group.

Showing initiative for women

The WIT group gives female tech employees a platform to increase their visibility and showcase their skills. It’s also a place where employees can talk about vulnerabilities and get immediate support. Monthly sessions on a variety of topics, from negotiating salaries to tackling imposter syndrome are key programme elements and engaging with male allies and non-tech colleagues to drive awareness and combat bias.

Changing the future of air travel with an exciting career in aviation leasing

Pursuing a career in the aircraft leasing sector opens learning and career possibilities in a fast-paced industry at the forefront of new and sustainable technologies.

Supporting female workforces

The company also launched a women’s leadership programme — identifying future leaders, providing them with training and mentorship. They relaunched six Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) — including Women@ Groupon — that focus on four key areas: culture, business, talent and community. WIT is starting a mentorship programme, plus a school and college roadshow to bring young people into the office for tech workshops.

“It’s important for those women forging the tech path to put themselves forward as role models, helping future generations to understand the career paths that are open to them,” says Mallesh.

Reshaping recruitment strategy

Businesses must also assess their recruitment strategy — ensuring the industry is more diverse, inclusive and free of gender bias. Rosie Maguire, Technical Recruiter EMEA at Groupon and WIT group member, has been working on this challenge. “We train hiring managers on biases in algorithmic tools, we introduced a gender bias disrupting tool so that job descriptions are free from biased vocabulary, and we measure diverse candidate slates for all open positions, just to name a few,” she says.

“We see these as non-negotiable building blocks and a great foundation from which to develop the best possible talent here, regardless of gender.”

welcomes the different perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. “It’s the type of field that appreciates thought diversity. Your skill sets are so transferable here,” Killeen says. “There are unlimited opportunities for people, which is really appealing. It means that if you want to change your role and do something different, you don’t even need to change your sector.”

Environmental impact

The aviation leasing sector is currently finding solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges including climate change and the environmental impact of air travel.

WRITTEN BY Sarah Brown

The aviation sector is a thriving industry in Ireland and offers more career options than you might realise, especially in the growing world of aircraft leasing. Anna Killeen is a senior asset manager at Avolon, one of the largest leasing companies with a portfolio of over 800 aircraft leased to over 140 airline customers. She shares her experiences working in this field.

“I think the default perspective is, ‘you’re in aviation, you must be a pilot,’” she says. “And that is such a small part of it. There are so many career choices within aviation, which are really interesting and dynamic. The routes to get into

aviation are endless.”

Multiple career paths Interest in maths, physics and chemistry at school led Killeen to explore engineering degrees at university by researching courses and attending open weeks to gauge her options. “I looked at all the different engineering courses, and aeronautical engineering is what I studied in the end,” she says. “It just jumped out to me as being really appealing and different.”

There are multiple pathways into the aircraft leasing sector and having a degree in an aviation-related topic is not the only entry point. The industry

“The research and development that’s going on in this sector is astronomical, whether it’s electric aircraft or different fuel alternatives,” Killeen says. “Your day is never the same as the one before. You have so much space and opportunity to grow into whatever career you want.”

For those with an interest in aviation but are not sure where to start, there are lots of resources and opportunities to discover more.

“Just do some research, and ask as many questions as you can,” Killeen concludes. “Reach out to people within the aviation sector and ask them about their careers. There are so many exciting opportunities in this area that people aren’t aware of.”

Anna Killeen Senior Asset Manager, Avolon

The Irish Central Statistics Office highlighted that women hold under 25% of tech roles. So, it is not surprising that Ireland is falling behind the European average on the number of women studying STEM subjects.

Nisha Mallesh Engineering Manager, Groupon Find out more at groupon careers.com

Paid for by Groupon

I was surprised when I moved to Ireland to see such a lack of female representation in the tech industry.

WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

Rosie Maguire Technical Recruiter EMEA, Groupon

Within the STEM space, we need to focus on short and long-term ambitions that go beyond the workplace and into early education and alternative talent strategies.

~Gillian Harford, Country Executive, 30% Club