Women in STEM - Jun 2018 by Mediaplanet UK&IE

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on inspiring girls to get into STEM P2

Read the top 5 tips from WITS P4

How do I become an engineer? P8

Women in STEM

Dr Easkey Britton On studying at the ‘college of life’ and pioneering women’s surfing in Iran. PHOTO CREDIT: TOMAS HEIN

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How do I become an engineer? Step 1: Be Curious! • •

Curiosity and the ability to analyse the real world are key to a lifetime of rewarding career opportunities in the engineering sector. Maths and science knowledge are valuable aptitudes for an engineer but most importantly, a career in engineering in all its forms involves innovation, creativity and communication.

•

Step 3: Learn more about the profession! • Talk to your guidance counsellor and meet engineers in your community. • Gain work experience within the engineering sector. • ‘Engineering Your Future’, a week-long programme for Transition Year students, can help you do this. Applications for the 2019 programme will open late Autumn.

Step 2: Get inspired! • •

Explore the world of engineering through workshops and programmes, such as Engineers Week. Engineers Ireland’s STEPS Programme, funded under Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover programme Call, has lots of resources available for future engineers, visit: www.engineersweek.ie.

Step 4: Research your CAO course

Step 5: Apprenticeships

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The main route of entry to the profession is by studying engineering at third level. Review each college prospectus carefully for a complete guide to your chosen course and ensure it is accredited by Engineers Ireland.

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Apprenticeships and further skills-based training, in addition to the traditional third-level path, offer a real opportunity to develop professional and technical skills. New apprenticeship schemes are expected to be launched in late 2018.

SOURCE: ENGINEERS IRELAND

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How engineering improves people’s lives

Mag O’Keeffe Director of Operations, Additive Manufacturing and Plant Leader, Stryker

Influencing healthcare with 3D-printing My title is Director of Operations and Plant Leader for our additive manufacturing (3D-printing facility), but my role is as a leader in the organisation. I am responsible for running the additive manufacturing business but, more importantly, the growth and development of the team. Over my career I have had a variety of roles, each of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have worked in operations, research and development, as a design engineer and in quality, all at various levels. This has allowed me to see and experience different aspects of the business. My current role allows me to use all the knowledge and experience I have gained over my career, to be successful in dealing with the variety, challenges and required pace. The technological advancements we are making in healthcare and 3D-printing are phenomenal. We are paving the way and influencing this area in the medical device industry. What most people would find surprising, is how quickly we are implementing these disruptive technologies into stable manufacturing. We supply hundreds of thousands of patients and surgeons around the world. Stryker is driven to make healthcare better. You work to the best of your ability because you know that your best helps people and saves lives. My personal strengths include focus, maximising opportunities and being a high achiever. These are innate and part of who I am. Being at the forefront of delivering patient solutions that enhance quality of life and drive better surgical outcomes is very rewarding. In my role, I ensure that we can manufacture and commercially supply the product to the market consistently. We achieve this by stabilising new technological advances, driving reliable supply, delivering the highest quality and producing the product on-time. We often receive customer feedback – and even visits – and patient testimonials in support of our work. It is so satisfying and exciting to know you have made a difference and you had a part to play in each story.

Dr Hilda Mulvihill Senior Research and Development Manager, Stryker

Orla Cannon Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Stryker

If you like solving puzzles, you should do my job

Understanding the anatomy of engineering

I am a Senior Research and Development Manager at Stryker, focusing on the joint replacement division. It looks after implant products , including hips and knees.

I work on developing new technology and products to improve patient safety and surgical outcomes. Patients are part of everything we do, and my job involves speaking to surgeons, organising product demonstrations and attending operations. Surgical procedural knowledge is key to developing the right products.

My job involves talking to customers, who are mainly surgeons and theatre nurses. They tell us what they want, and we turn it into a product. It is a problem-solving job. If you like solving puzzles, this is the job for you. It’s also collaborative; working with different people with different expertise, travelling all over the world. My choice of career was influenced by my parents. My dad was a mechanical engineer and, as the eldest of three, I got roped into helping with jobs around the house. I didn’t realise it wasn’t normal to spend Saturdays in the shed drilling holes into things. My mom was a great advocate for education and very supportive of my choice to study science, especially continuing onto a PhD. I began by studying chemistry at UCC and spent a summer at Textron Automotive Research Centre in New Hampshire. My manager was a polymer chemist, a lady who led the team developing different car parts. Automotive is a very technical, male-dominated area and I had a great deal of respect for her. Other big influences on my career have been my PhD supervisor, Professor Robert Hill, and my first leader at Stryker, John Scanlan, both of whom were very supportive. I love science, understanding nature and how things work. I get to do what I love every day, while being paid. It is very fulfilling, helping to improve the quality of people’s lives.At the moment, I’m working on products relating to bone tumours. There’s a high risk of infection after surgery for those patients, so it’s exciting to know that we can help. When I was at school and college, I never came across a teacher or lecturer who told me science and engineering isn’t for girls. The important thing was your ability. It wasn’t until I started working that I realised we’re in a minority. In general, anywhere I’ve worked, they’re looking for the best people for the job, so it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female. In life, there’s a lot more responsibility for women if you want both a career and a family. In science and engineering jobs – particularly in the research area – flexibility is built into current work practices. You can strike a balance with both, and do a job that improves people’s lives.

I started in September 2015, on the Stryker Instruments R&D Graduate Programme. I was always interested in engineering – my dad’s a mechanic and I have three brothers – and I took metalwork at school. My education enabled me to complete a BSc in Product Design at DIT. Product Design is a multidisciplinary course which incorporates Engineering, Art and Business – covering everything from the initial idea, to product manufacturing, to sales and marketing. In the final year I was split between automotive and medical device design until Stryker came to the college, and I realised a career in medical devices was something I would be interested in. When I joined the graduate programme it involved five rotations of six months. They covered four key areas: design, quality, manufacturing and engineering services, with a cross-functional project at the end. The best thing about the programme was it allowed you to own your own career. It encouraged you to make it known what you were interested in. From this I got to experiment with everything from hands-on machine experience, to designing new instrumentation for surgical procedures, organising surgeon demonstrations and developing relationships with teams both in Ireland and internationally. People would be surprised by the amount of anatomical knowledge that I, an engineer, possess. If you are developing a product to help improve surgical outcomes, you must know that area inside out. Having the experience in multiple rotations allows you to see different aspects of engineering and choose both your favourite and what you are best at. This sets you up for the best experience in your chosen role in the future.

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Engineering is for everyone Women still account for only 12% of engineering professionals. What can be done to tempt more into the field?

he careers of women in the workplace continue to come on in leaps and bounds, but there is one area in which they are still massively under-represented: engineering. Just 16% of engineering graduates are women, and they make up just 12% of engineering professionals in the country as a whole1 . Caroline Spillane is Director General of Engineers Ireland, the professional membership body for engineers in Ireland, having previously been the Chief Executive Officer at the Medical Council of Ireland. She is spearheading attempts to encourage greater gender diversity within the profession. “We want as many people as possible to consider a career in engineering. But there is a dearth of women,” says Caroline. “Women largely remain an untapped resource in the engineering profession and our research highlights the view within the sector that more can be done by all of us – parents, teachers and society generally – to break down the barriers to young women entering the industry.” One crucial issue is to start encouraging girls to study STEM (science, technology, maths and engineering) subjects as early as possible, preferably from the age of around five. “We must continue to inspire students at primary and post-primary levels to equip themselves with an adequate knowledge of STEM. Children – young girls especially – need to learn about the career possibilities in engineering early on, and they need role models.

Caroline Spillane Director General, Engineers Ireland

“More can be done by all of us – parents, teachers and society – to break down the barriers to young women entering STEM.” “Through our STEPS Programme - funded under Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover programme Call - we have been working on a number of initiatives that target students, including Engineers Week and a schools visit programme with volunteer role models. “Engineering Your Future is another,

incredibly popular initiative that we support in third-level institutes nationwide. This week-long, hands-on programme is designed to give Transition Year students a meaningful, practical insight into engineering at third level and as a career,” says Caroline. “This year, eight third level institutes will host over 400 students. Students will learn about the disciplines and technologies making up the diverse world of engineering, meet engineers at various stages in their careers, and experience what engineers do on a daily basis through industry visits, which can also help girls to better understand the exciting opportunities ahead of them and the impact engineering has on Irish society.” There have been some positives. Engineering 2018, a report by Engineers Ireland, revealed that total higher-level STEM subject sittings by female students have increased to 41% for the Junior Certificate and 43% for the Leaving Certificate. The total number of STEM sittings at Junior Certificate higher-level increased by 16% over the past five years, with a 25% increase in the number of students taking higher-level Junior Certificate mathematics since 2012. There are also more girls studying biology, but greater progress needs to be made in applied mathematics, physics and chemistry. There is also some emphasis put on the fact that the traditional image – of a man in a hard hat on a building site – no longer reflects the true reality of engineering today. The focus by those concerned about the diversity in engineering is now on so-called “female friendly” subjects such as the environment, energy and

healthcare, all of which require the problem solving skills of engineers. “One thing that must be acknowledged, is that engineering is changing rapidly, and the old disciplines are blending,” says Caroline. “Technology is now a huge part of any skill set. And if you look at an area like healthcare, which now involves biomedical devices, a huge number of engineers are involved. “We have to show girls that a career in engineering can take them in all sorts of different directions and encourage them to stay in the profession and grow their careers. “Girls also need to realise that engineering is about design creativity these days,” says Caroline. “It exists in whole areas of art and design. Girls like to collaborate, and they need to be shown that engineering needs teamwork, which they enjoy.” Girls are also encouraged to join coding clubs after school. There are initiatives to get them interested during the summer holidays. Engaging in any form of extra-curricular activity will ultimately stand them in good stead. Projects involving renovation, refurbishment, mechanics and even running their own business and engaging in the arts could all contribute to a future in engineering. “It will show future employers they are a rounded individual,” Caroline concluded. 1

According to Engineering 2018, a report from Engineers Ireland.

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While women are less likely to study STEM subjects at school, they are also more likely than men to drop out of STEM careers. So, how can you as an employer change this in your organisation? Audit your organisation - is what’s going on what you were expecting? Look at your: ■ board representation of women ■ role models inside the organisation ■ gender balance at various grades ■ gender pay gap ■ retention of women in technical roles ■ perceived discrimination – how does it feel to the women who work there? Set targets for improvement - give board-level accountability and share these targets outside the organisation. Monitor your organisation regularly - Are your targets being met? If not, why not? Change how you recruit by: a. removing gendered language from job ads b. advertising with payscales to help close the gender pay gap c. removing identifying information from CVs being reviewed d. using gender/diversity quotas for candidates called for interview Make women visible – at meetings, conferences, in publications, on panels, at awards, grants, as sources for journalists and content online. Source: Women in Technology and Science Read the extended version online at: businessnews.ie

PHOTO CREDIT: TOMAS HEIN

Top tips for employers How my passion for surfing led to connection, social change and empowered women “It’s important to follow your passion. For me, surfing has unlocked tremendous potential to connect with others and make positive change happen worldwide.” “At the time of writing, I sit in the Whitaker Research Institute for Social Innovation and Societal Change, NUI Galway, where the official title on the door reads ‘Dr. Easkey Britton’. When people hear the title Dr.Britton, the image that pops into their heads is too often male rather than female. I’ve learnt from other women in my field that its important to use the title to adjust expectations of women in science. I’m Dr.Easkey Britton but I never planned to become an academic… I just followed my passion”.

Surfing for change “My journey began with the beautiful accident of where I was born and how I was raised – in North West Donegal, by one of the first surfing families in Ireland. At four-years old, I learned to surf with my father. The ocean has been an ever-present force in my life since then. Although there are moments of fear, out there, in the big waves, the ocean is my playground. I feel at home. I had an unconventional route into academia – studying at the ‘college of life’ as my Dad says – dedicating my energy, instead, to competitive surfing in my teenage years and early twenties. The experience of travelling as a surfer totally inspired me to pursue a career in environmental science. Being immersed in nature, you are at the front line of environmental change. You are victim to illness from sewage overflows or from wading through harmful plastics. “Gaining so much joy from the

Easkey Britton Surfer, Environmentalist and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, The Whitaker Institute

ocean comes a feeling of responsibility. I wanted to give something more back than just rubbish and waste.”

How passion creates projects “Following my passion led me to alter the stories of international coastal communities. I worked through positive social change and connection, with projects such as the ‘Surf for Social Good Summit’ in Bali and ‘Waves of Freedom’ in Iran, which pioneered women’s surfing there. “I am co-lead of an NUI Galway programme for restoring wellbeing and healthy lifestyles in Ireland. The course connects people with nature to restore health and wellbeing to Ireland. Unusually for STEM occupations, the research team is mostly women. It’s a wonderfully supportive environment with a real mix of disciplines. “Other international causes also perform wonders with an all-female cast. Ocean Collective – a global think-tank for ocean solutions – is lead by Dr Avana Johnson, the queen of marine conservation.” The ocean doesn’t discriminate “In secondary school, I was told that

there would be no jobs for me in environmental science. That proved to be false. Now, there is more opportunity for future generations as environmental issues affect every single sector. It has become increasingly relevant in business, technology, politics – it’s totally cross-cutting. “We are at ‘ebb tide’ with this movement. For too long, women have been under the surface, invisible because our networks and pathways have differed to men’s. Thankfully, the way we are educating young girls to see that what is possible for them is changing. “I read an article in a women’s surf magazine when I was 12-years old. I remember opening it up and seeing this double page spread of a woman in a wet suit, surfing in cold water, who was also a scientist. I was like, ‘Wow, it is possible!’ It’s amazing what an impact seeing positive images, which counter damaging stereotypical associations, can have – especially on young girls.”

Be patient for the next break “While teaching in secondary schools and in NUI Galway, I noticed a real pressure on women to be career driven and to become leaders. A pressure to be everything; to have it all and do it all. But it’s too easy to burn out when under constant pressure to be someone or something. “It takes time to explore, to feed your curiosity and ultimately discover the career path that’s right for you. For me, it’s about taking risks, showing a willingness to fail and owning those failures when they come. If you allow for the ebb and flow of life, true balance and career satisfaction will follow.” Alex van den Broek

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STEM and the art of the perfect pint

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Siobhan Smyth Apprentice Instrumentation Electrician, Diageo

You think being an electrician is all about changing light bulbs? Think again. It’s actually an essential part of the brewing process.

Brewing has become a vast, automated process and in doing so offers huge opportunities for STEM students to create a unique career.

I am an apprentice instrumentation electrician, traditionally a male-dominated role, which involves commissioning, testing and maintaining various systems. I shadow a qualified electrician to know what to expect in my future career. When people hear I’m an electrician, they think of the stereotype; changing light sockets in a domestic setting. It is a biased view, completely different from what I actually do, which is to control the whole process of brewing from brew to ferment to keg. All the plants I work in are completely different and my job involves recording temperature, pressure and so on. When we are walking around the plants, part of the job is to check that there are no breakdowns and the process can be continued. It’s an exciting role. I start the day with a morning meeting and we have a long list to go through, assigning jobs for the day. Then I go to the relevant plant to work on the system, checking temperature, calibrations and pressure flow. When I am calibrating temperature, there are two of us: one on the plant floor and a second upstairs on a computer to bring up the details of the machine we are working on. We calibrate at varying temperatures and record the measurements. If a machine breaks down we get it up and running again, although it’s a temporary fix. The apprenticeship also involves going to college. The best part of the job is that that the company is a huge part of Irish history and I’m part of that.

I work in the fermentation brewing plant as a process brewer, looking after the maturation and the clarification of the beer. It is a large-scale process, the opposite of craft beer, and fully automated, so I am also responsible for the cleaning and hygiene of the plant, and I control the intake of chemicals used to clean the plant. After my education, I joined as an intern, went on to work in the science lab and am now a brewer, as there are so many opportunities for career progression. People tend to think my job is on a smaller scale than it is: they think I’m sitting stirring a pot of Guinness! But everything is automated. In my daily life, no two days are the same; each is unique. We start with a handover from the previous team, which is the most important part, as it sets you up for the day. We talk to the different departments, such as engineering, so it’s a social role too. Organising decisions is a priority, as is problem solving. For example, at 4am, a piece of plant equipment may stop working. We use root cause analysis and root cause problem solving to boost our efficiency and I am currently doing a Master of Tasting course. The coolest thing about the job is that the brewery is iconic, and we distribute to 150 countries so, no matter where I go in the world, people know the brand. The scale is such that we brew over three million pints of Guinness a day.

Sinead Flannery Process Brewer, Diageo

Why the opportunities in STEM have never been better Yvonne Coughlan, Head of Near Time Operations and Planning Engineer, Róisín Mossop, have 20 years’ experience between them in providing the nation’s businesses and homes with electricity. They say the time to join STEM has never been better.

Yvonne Coughlan Head of Near Time Operations, EirGrid

“Diversity is so important for bringing new perspectives, improving performance and reducing groupthink.”

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recent UNESCO study into female participation in STEM occupations outlined how too many girls are held back by discrimination, biases, social norms and expectations that influence the subjects they study* - a concern Yvonne and EirGrid share. “It’s important to show young girls the potential within the industry and the range of opportunity,” she says. “There are fewer obvious female role models in this industry so, for young girls, it’s important to build awareness of what a STEM role actually involves from an early age.” Yvonne has worked across a variety of roles during her time at EirGrid, ranging from technical analysis of the electricity grid, through leading teams to come up with ways to connect new wind farms and generators to the grid and to ensure a secure supply of electricity for customers. “I told myself I would move on if the work got boring, but it didn’t. It is so varied and seeing the tangible results of your efforts in providing electricity for homes and business-

es in Ireland is very rewarding,” says Yvonne.

comfort zone yet feel supported. It’s an exciting place to be,” she says.

Improvement in diversity Yvonne believes gender balance is changing in the industry, and the days of being the only woman in a meeting are now in the past. “Diversity is so important for bringing new perspectives, improving performance and reducing groupthink. It’s a huge consideration for my team. It comes in many forms: gender, background, personality type, different thought processes... it’s what we strive for,” says Yvonne.

Advice for graduates Her advice for future graduates looking for similar early career success and satisfaction, is to fully consider your strengths, passions and core values. “I started looking for the end goal of contributing to a more sustainable, renewable future for Ireland. I looked at companies that can help that problem and I found one in EirGrid. Look at your strengths and follow your passions,” says Róisín. Róisín is a keen advocate for STEM studies and implores others to see the increasing value of the sector. “Right now, if you choose an engineering career, you can shape the future. We’re in a space where technology is increasingly integrated in our daily lives. The contributions that we – as engineers – make in this sphere, will define where we are heading as a world,” she says. “The opportunities are significant.”

Support for women returners in industry Yvonne is positive about the support women can and should receive when returning to work. For example, EirGrid has recently launched a new programme to help women back from maternity leave. The role of the organisation in helping in this transitionary phase is extremely important; supporting women through the transition paves the way for a smooth re-integration, according to Yvonne.

Róisín Mossop Planning Engineer, EirGrid

“You have the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone.”

óisín joined EirGrid in 2015 and is relatively new to the industry. Despite this, she has already achieved valuable career experiences, such as being put forward for a number of professional development courses, and spending a six-month rotation at National Grid UK. “You are constantly working with change and have to be able to adapt. You have the opportunity to get out of your

*http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0025/002534/253479e.pdf

Alex van den Broek Read more on eirgrid.com

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Q&A: How does CWIT support women and girls in STEM?

Shalini Hollingum, Chair of Education Committee at Connecting Women in Technology (CWIT) shares her experience of building a support, inspiration and career education platform for women in the sector.

entirely disengaged from subject such as maths, science and technology from as early as 11-years old, and that teachers and parents constantly exhibit influence over young people. Girls in STEM Report from Accenture in 2017 identified that teachers and guidance councellors, as key influencers for young children (specifically young girls/women), were not fully informed or aware of the opportunities within the tech sector. This is a huge consideration within the education pillar. To address this, we have a STEM teacher internship programme in collaboration with Dublin City University. The programme, now in its third year, invites pre-service teachers to have a 6-12-week, paid placement in our member organisations, where they gain first hand experience of working in the industry. We estimate that participating teachers, once qualified, reach over 40,000 students, which could make a real difference to providing inspiration and encouraging participation through communicating their personal experience of the industry. Ultimately, we want to ensure that there is a strong pipeline of diverse talent for our industry.

Tell us a little bit about Connecting Women in Technology; what exactly do you do?

How do the CWIT initiatives support women who are already working in the STEM sector?

CWIT is a collaborative partnership of 17 multinationals in Ireland who have invested interest, passion and drive in attracting, retaining and promoting women’s participation in the technology sector through a number of creative and collaborative initatives. CWIT provides a forum and a network for women in the sector, through which member organisations and participating members can encourage each other to succeed in the industry and attract more girls and women into STEM occupations. We have three pillars - branding, education and early careers, and we apply the themes of attract, retain and promote across the three pillars.

There is usually a 50/50 gender split upon intake within the industry but what’s concerning is that after a few years in industry, numbers start to drop off. There are a number of reasons for it: women may feel isolated, out of place or lack confidence. Particularly through our branding and early careers pillars, we place great focus on women at all levels and try to encourage them to stay in the sector by identifying their challenges and finding solutons. Initatives, such as speed mentoring, targeted networking events and broader networking initiatives, aim to create communication channels and knowledge sharing environments. We invite both men and women, from all levels of an organisation, to attend and discuss these issues - everyone needs to have these conversations. These events tend to range from focusing around a key theme with a panel of high profile speakers, to roundtable discussions on how to achieve greater equality within the sector. Alongside these events we are very active on social media platforms to encourage dialogue around these issues.

Dr Shalini Hollingum Software Product Manager, Accenture Chair of Education Committee, Connecting Women in Tech (CWIT)

How did you join CWIT and what is your role at CWIT? In 2015 I joined Accenture, who are one of active members of the CWIT partnership. It was through the involvement in the initiatives to promote STEM at Accenture that I joined the CWIT team. I am now the Chair of Education Committee so, effectively, I lead the education pillar of our activities.

How do the CWIT initiatives encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers? Within education we are having a real push on the attract side of things. Here we are working with young women in secondary level of education to positively alter their perceptions of STEM careers by talking to them about the diversity of careers in STEM, highlighting the range of opportunities that choosing STEM subjects at second and third level can lead to and providing coaching and mentorship through a number of programmes. We also engage with teachers and guidance councellors on STEM education initatives. We pay particular focus to girls in secondary level of education to inform, educate and encourage them toward the rewards of working in the technology sector, through collaboration with organisations like Teen Turn, and by delivering our own programme ,‘IT is not just for geeks’, which is an interactive presentation and conversation with Transition Year students about the range of different career opportunities in STEM. Studies have shown that students can become

What do you think the industry can do to offer that same support to existing/future employees? There is no one solution but the collaborative effort of multinational tech firms – which we are proud to host and collaborate with – is extremely important for building a workplace that is truly inclusive for everyone. Lots of studies show a key starting point could be as simple as altering job descriptions so they don’t alienate women from applying through the language they use. Through incremental changes to STEM culture, recruitment and conversation, we need to make everybody feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work – not just a persona – so that they will feel empassioned, comfortable and have increased willingness to stay in the industry. Alex van den Broek Read more on: businessnews.ie

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“Strong female role models have featured constantly in my life. I had an excellent biology teacher in school – Mrs. Sheehan – who instilled in me a genuine excitement about the subject. I followed my passion all the way to a doctorate in neuroscience and a successful career in biotech. I was also given phenomenal opportunities by other female leaders that led me to where I am today. Embracing these opportunities required self-belief, which was drummed into me by my mum. I hope to inspire other women by my own achievements. My advice is to trust yourself and don’t let anyone say no for you.” —MURIEL O’BYRNE

VICE PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF EU REGULATORY AFFAIRS, REGENERON

“I am one of six daughters with no brothers so, growing up, I had no experience of gender bias or there being a diﬀerence between what boys and girls could do. My sisters and I were told we could do anything. Focus on your education. Assert your independence. These are the values my parents emphasised.”

—SARAH WHELAN

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, QUALITY ASSURANCE, REGENERON

“From my maths and science classes at my all-female school, through university and now here at Regeneron, I’ve been inspired by the brilliance and support of strong female leaders. I now have a successful career in STEM, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the paths forged, examples set and encouragement provided by those before me. I feel strongly that we have an obligation as women to support one another.” —LAURA CALLINAN

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PROCESS SCIENCES, REGENERON

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Sinead McGavigan, Technical Planner, SSE

Girl power is fueling change in the energy industry

Think roles for women in STEM are limited? Think again. Five women at the heart of Ireland’s energy industry reveal why their work is exciting, challenging and crucial for the future.

Welcome to the energy industry: a grey, boring sector populated exclusively by middle-aged men. A place where jobs are only for the boys — so women need not apply. At least, that’s the stereotype. Thankfully, the reality is rather different. Take SSE, one of the new breed of energy companies encouraging women into its ranks — such as Sinead McGavigan who operates the business’s on-shore wind farms in Ireland, which power almost half a million homes daily. McGavigan is keen to explode the myth about the industry being dull, particularly with its push towards cutting-edge green energy technology. The sector is actually challenging, vibrant and varied, she says; and being part of it makes her feel as though she’s making a difference to the planet. “This is an important field,” she says, “especially as we need to decarbonise society into the future. So it’s an exciting place to be working.” McGavigan notes that there are now opportunities for career progression for everyone in her

Eimear Lenihan Lead Consents Manager SSE

Oonagh O’Grady Strategic Partnership Lead, SSE Airtricity Energy Markets Team

industry, whatever their background or gender. Currently, though, the variety of her current role gives her a tremendous buzz. “Every day is different,” she says. “It’s not an office-based job and I always have to be out on site.”

Arklow Bank offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea. Numerous challenges arise in her day-to-day work, acknowledges Lenehan. Luckily, she’s good at problem-solving. “When you start a new project it’s like a jigsaw,” she admits. “You have to take into account everything from archeology and ground water to soils, flora and fauna, and nearby properties. Different experts layer over each other to work out the impact on the environment and devise solutions, and it’s my job to coordinate all of that.” No wonder a mixed bag of skills are needed for the job. Apart from being technically proficient, Lenehan needs to be good at relationship building because she comes into contact with everyone from landowners to council officials and with bodies including the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Skills needed for problemsolving It’s the same for Eimear Lenehan who develops the latest additions to SSE’s power generation fleet, which includes onshore and offshore wind farms and power stations. She’s responsible for making sure that all projects consider the latest environmental regulations, and currently has a major focus on progressing plans for the

Noelle Doody, Data Analytics, SSE Airtricity and Klair Neenan, Head of IT, SSE

Broad range of abilities for a flexible career If green power is a now big deal for the energy industry, it’s also a big deal for those blue-chip multinationals based in Ireland which can’t run their data centres without it. This is where Oonagh O’Grady comes in. As a senior member of SSE’s business energy team, she sells the energy generated at wind farms to world-leading companies. “A lot of multinationals have set their renewable targets to become 100% green,” she says. “I work with wind farm developers, financiers and companies to help them achieve

their needs.” O’Grady has wanted to pursue a career in STEM ever since she was a naturally curious child who was forever taking things apart to find out how they worked. Engineering (“the natural progression from that”) has been the passport to various jobs in various sectors. Indeed, her wide variety of skills have taken her down some unexpected paths. “It’s been fantastic to be able to move across different industries,” she says. “I’ve worked on the Olympics in London, a tunnel feasibility study for the Forth of Firth and a motorway in Ireland. I enjoy being part of a team, coordinated to solve problems.”

Critical need for a diverse workforce The energy industry isn’t just investing in green tech. Keen to meet the changing needs of its customers, it’s also investing in the latest data and analytics technology. This isn’t, admittedly, an area of the business that has attracted scores of female staff in the past; although Noelle Doody, SSE Airtricity’s Head of Analytics, thinks that needs to change. Why? Well, for one reason, a diverse workforce is necessary to reflect the make-up of any company’s customer base, she argues — because that includes women, after all. Plus, more diversity means a variety of viewpoints which, ultimately, means better decision-making. More women are also needed in the boardrooms. Recognising this, many large companies including SSE are signing up to the 30% club which sets goal of having a minimum of 30% of women on FTSE-100 boards. They are also ensuring that their recruiting managers undergo inclusivity training. Doody was never put off by the ‘male-dominated’ perception of the energy workplace. “But I was fortunate,” she admits. “Maths and physics were available at my school — and when I studied mechanical engineering at University College, Dublin, there were a high proportion of girls. When I did business analytics there were a number of women; and though I was later the

only female in a workshop of 30, I was aware of senior women and I could see them progressing.”

Agile and flexible working That includes people like Klair Neenan, Head of IT for SSE in Ireland. Neenan’s rise through the ranks has been possible in part because the industry is changing to incorporate more agile and flexible ways of working. “After my maternity leave I didn’t need to be encouraged to come back,” she says, “but it’s a challenge for women to balance childcare and work.” A ‘gradual return to work’ scheme was available from SSE which allowed Neenan to work 80% of her contracted hours but still receive full pay and benefits for six months. SSE is also increasing maternity, paternity and adoptive leave to help female (and male) employees juggle the demands of their busy lives. Neenan agrees with Noelle Doody that a diverse workforce is the key that unlocks business potential. It’s why she’s involved in a workplace volunteer group to champion diversity across the company. “On International Women’s Day we hosted a panel of speakers, male and female, who discussed workplace evolution for women over the last few decades and shared personal stories,” she says. “They left enthusiastic and inspired about finding new ways to encourage further diversity in the company.” An increasingly diverse workforce. Better working flexibility. An emphasis on inclusivity. More women in senior positions. It seems SSE is leaving behind the energy industry’s out-of-date image as a bastion of male domination. And, happily, there’s no going back now.

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