Women in STEM IE (Edition 1) - Q4 2021

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Q4 2021 | A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of Mediaplanet, which takes sole responsibility for its content

Women in STEM A Mediaplanet campaign focused on

EDITION 1 2nd Edition

launching tomorrow in the Irish Independent (10th December)

For me, this project was a pivotal experience in understanding that engineering can have a life-changing impact on marginalised communities. ~Aisling Hahessy, Chartered Engineer, Engineer of the Year, Engineers Ireland > Read more on Page 10

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Combining minds for the benefit of society. ~Orla Feely, President, Engineers Ireland

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A commitment to fostering inclusivity across the STEM sector. ~ Dr Ruth Freeman, Director Science for Society, Science Foundation Ireland

The REEdI Bachelor of Engineering degree at Munster Technological University will produce engineers of the future, combining innovative content delivery, new immersive technologies and 2 years industry placement built in.

For more information visit: www.reedi.ie

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IN THIS ISSUE

“We must call on organisations to establish inclusive recruitment processes, encourage employers to view CV ‘gaps’ differently.”

Combining minds for the benefit of society

~Gina Oglesby Founder and Director, Back to Work Connect

Page 10

Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills are vital for a green and digital future for Ireland.

“I believe that engineers have a vital role to play in solving the world’s mostpressing challenges.” ~Aisling Hahessy Chartered Engineer, Engineer of the Year, Engineers Ireland

Page 10

“Underrepresentation of women in STEM stifles innovation and contributes to gender pay gap.” ~Karolina Pietkiewicz Communications Manager, Connecting Women in Tech

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2nd Edition

launching tomorrow in the Irish Independent (10th December)

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n an era of digitalisation and climate action, a wide range of technical skills, in addition to the combined mind power of women and men is required to deliver sustainable and creative solutions for society.

However, the Government’s National Skills Bulletin recognises shortages in almost all engineering occupations. The number of students taking up engineering and technology courses needs to increase significantly to meet current and future needs.

These talent shortages, coupled with a significant gender gap in the engineering profession, require intervention.

Engineering our future society At Engineers Ireland, we are continually seeking to address the gender divide at a grassroots and professional level. Through peer-to-peer mentoring or involvement in primary or secondary school outreach initiatives, engineers and educators can support our mission to narrow the gender gap and address talent shortages.

Professional networks Our Women in Engineering Group has created a network to facilitate connections between women working in engineering roles, to share knowledge, exchange ideas and boost the number of women working in the engineering profession. This group has been created to help female engineers create a clear pathway for progression, so they remain in the industry, as well as attracting women back to the profession.

Early Influences To increase representation of women in industry, we need more professional engineers to become role models for our future female talent. If students can hear about the lives and stories of successful female engineers, they are more likely to explore the rewarding careers the profession can offer.

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If students can hear about the lives and stories of successful female engineers, they are more likely to explore the rewarding careers the profession can offer.

We encourage engineers to volunteer and support Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme, the only national STEM outreach programme with a focus on engineering.

Primary and secondary school educators are also invited to participate in STEPS Engineers Week (5-11 March 2022).

This campaign is held annually to promote engineering and its importance to Ireland. Through participation in the week-long campaign, young people can experience the limitless opportunities a career in engineering can offer and find out how they can play a pivotal role in transforming Irish society.

Working together to affect change I believe that we are at our strongest when we address matters as a community. I encourage engineers, educators and employers to join with us and become allies in the drive to address talent shortages and close the gender gap in industry.

To find out more about how you can play a role, visit: engineersireland.ie

Orla Feely President, Engineers Ireland

Contact information: uk.info@mediaplanet.com or +44 (0) 203 642 0737

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Project Manager: Samantha Taylor samantha.taylor@mediaplanet.com Business Development Manager: Lucy Harris Managing Director: Alex Williams Head of Ireland: Ross Bannatyne Head of Production: Kirsty Elliott Designer: Thomas Kent Design & Content Assistant: Aimee Rayment Digital Manager: Harvey O’Donnell Paid Media Manager: Jonni Asfaha Social & Web Editor: Henry Phillips Digital Assistant: Carolina Galbraith Duarte All images supplied by Gettyimages, unless otherwise specified

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I think people from different backgrounds enrich the workplace in terms of experiences and perspectives, bringing new ideas and solutions to the project’s challenges.

The STEM industry is open for everyone to share their ideas Three women from Jacobs Engineering share their experiences of working in the STEM field and how family influences helped inspire them to join the sector.

Q: How did you get into STEM?

Macarena Lopez Insausti Project Manager, Advanced Facilities, Electronics, Jacobs Engineering

Niamh Hourigan Director of Project Services, Life Sciences Ireland, UK and Nordics Operations, Jacobs Engineering

Macarena: I guess you could say my route into STEM was quite conventional. I have been interested since school as engineering and architecture were both considered normal subjects to study. My eldest brother was also an engineer and I come from northern Spain, which has a big background in engineering.

Carla: My uncle was a chemical engineer and would often give me his books to read. The family connection helped me to become interested.

However, when I started a PhD, my friends said I was aiming too high, but I felt it was an opportunity to keep a connection to my university. Girls these days often do not know how to fit in and I feel this is an opportunity to guide them.

Niamh: I am a quantity surveyor and was interested from a young age because my uncle was one and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. But it was different in Ireland, I was at an all-girls school and engineering was not an option so it was a real struggle. If it hadn’t been for my family, I’d never have got in.

Q: Are there any common myths you have experienced in the STEM profession?

Carla Lopez Smitter Process Engineer, Advanced Facilities, Electronics, Jacobs Engineering WRITTEN BY Virginia Blackburn

Niamh: I think a common one I’ve found is that women cannot do it and that we are treated differently. I have only met one man who treated me differently because I was female. Otherwise, all the men I’ve met have treated me with respect and as an equal. I am now also a part-time lecturer which I find a good way of passing on knowledge to the next generation.

Macarena: For me it was that people think that women have to be at home to look after the family. COVID-19 has shown we can have a work/ life balance and do both. Many companies now prioritise giving equal opportunities to everyone and encourage women to have good ideas.

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For me it is the fact that women were normally the ones sacrificing their professional careers to look after their families. Nowadays many companies provide the option of flexible working, allowing you to have a better work/life balance without sacrificing your career. COVID-19 has shown us that the flexible working model works.

Paid for by Jacobs

Q: Do you have a role model in your career and how have they inspired you?

Niamh: It was my grandmother who instilled in me that I could do anything I wanted. She could command a room, whether filled with men or women, she made sure her opinion was heard.

I never thought twice about being a female in a male dominated field, because of her I grew up believing it didn’t matter what gender you were, as long as you knew what you were talking about.

Carla: I was inspired by my mother. She was a hard-working woman and always try to keep the right balance between her personal life and job responsibilities. Yet, despite all the challenges, she always has time to share with her family and encourage me to pursue a professional career.

Macarena: My parents. Both of them worked their entire life but always ensured that there was the right work/life balance at home for my brothers and myself. They taught us that work is important but spending quality time with your family and friends is important too.

Q: How important is a diverse and inclusive workplace?

Carla: I think people from different backgrounds enrich the workplace in terms of experiences and perspectives, bringing new ideas and solutions to the project’s challenges. An inclusive workplace creates a positive environment where everybody feels welcome, improving their mental health and performance in their professional activities.

Find out more at jacobs.com/careers

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Five simple ways you or your organisation can get involved in supporting women in STEM

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Identify where exactly you want to make a difference and get active.

Awareness of the lack of representation of women in STEM is high, so spend your time on addressing the reasons for this. Be an actor, not an ally.

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Be inclusive in your outreach.

We are so proud of the Re-Ignite programme. It has been very successful in helping us attract those who wish to return to the workplace after a career break. It is a paid ‘returnship’ initiative for those who have worked in STEM2D (science, technology, engineering, maths, manufacturing and design) and have been out of their field for two or more years. It builds confidence and has attracted outstanding talent and ambassadors to our doors.

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Identify role models within your organisation. We shouldn’t always showcase role models who have excelled on the world stage, as this is unattainable for most. The everyday woman in STEM is often more impactful and relatable. At Johnson & Johnson we have a workforce of 5,000 across our 10 sites in Ireland. We have women working in STEM roles every day, we put them to the forefront to showcase that an exciting career in STEM is possible alongside fulfilling family and daily lives.

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Identify colleagues who are passionate about the topic in your organisation. We developed a flagship global WiSTEM2D initiative.

Our mission is support and inspire girls and women in their pursuit of STEM2D studies and careers globally. We have four pillars in the programme – youth, university, professional and partnerships.

Ireland has been to the forefront in leading this programme.

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Partner with others, don’t try and do it on your own. We have partnered with academic institutes NUI Galway, UCC and UL on our WiSTEM2D university pillar programme and the Youth Pillar partners with IWISH and organisation like Junior Achievement.

A partnership approach improves the impact and reach of our programmes.

To learn more about the WiSTEM2D programme visit jnj.com/wistem2d

Anna Rafferty Director of Strategy, Johnson & Johnson Campus Ireland

Paid for by Johnson & Johnson

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A commitment to fostering inclusivity across the STEM sector Equality should be promoted at every stage of the career path.

New initiatives are helping to make STEM accessible to all.

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s an organisation, we are continuing to build upon our significant work to improve gender balance, equality, diversity and inclusion across the research ecosystem in Ireland. We support many fantastic women researchers and in collaboration with the higher education sector.

We have made progress in recent years, in 2015 only 21% of researchers who were awarded grants from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) were women. By 2020, 29% of SFI award holders were women, 38% of the scientists employed and trained on those grants were women. But equally we recognise that there is still much more to do.

Dr Ruth Freeman Director Science for Society, Science Foundation Ireland

An example of some of our recent initiatives:

• Irish Sign Language STEM Glossary Project - National Expansion. This project aims to promote and support STEM education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) people by developing an agreed lexicon in Irish Sign Language for STEM terms. The absence of agreed signs for STEM vocabulary inhibits the teaching of STEM subjects at all levels of education and presents difficulties for those working in interpreting.

• Girls Coding – CodePlus seeks to address this imbalance by encouraging, facilitating and providing opportunities to teenage female Improving diversity throughout career paths students to engage with computer science.

Early this year we launched our new strategy – This project includes an expansion to the Shaping Our Future. This recognises the need Galway and Limerick areas, in addition to the to improve equality, diversity and inclusion, Dublin based activities funded under the SFI including gender diversity, Discover Programme at all stages of the research in previous years. career path.

• Science 4 Sight Loss.

A key part element The co-creation group and We aim to improve diversity and is the need to increase planned workshops will engagement with stimulate engagement inclusion in science, by broadening help under-served and underand curiosity in STEM, participation both geographically represented communities provide insights into STEMto understand and remove related careers and inspire and amongst less represented the barriers that exist this underrepresented voices in science. to undertaking careers group to have confidence in STEM. in their ability to tackle the Through our commitment to education and barriers of diversity and inclusion in STEM. public engagement we aim to improve diversity and inclusion in science, by broadening Across all areas where we have engagement and participation both geographically and amongst programmes, we remain committed to fostering less represented voices in science. equality, diversity and inclusion in the STEM Some of the initiatives supported recently target sector. Working with those in the sector we hope to a wide range of ages including young children, make significant improvements and impact over teens and adults as well as some initiatives the coming years. designed for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and attending DEIS schools and those living with sight loss.

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Demonstrating the importance of data science in today’s world Skills in data science can be applied across a vast range of sectors, making it a varied and exciting career that offers real opportunity for those with the right expertise.

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WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

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Professor Norma Bargary Professor of Data Science and Statistical Learning, University of Limerick

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rofessor Norma Bargary is passionate about data Critical skills that underpin your data science career science. There are various reasons why — but a Professor Bargary didn’t set out to be a data scientist. key one is the range of opportunities it offers.

In fact, she originally studied physiotherapy. “But I’d That might sound surprising, but it’s true. always enjoyed maths,” she says. “I was one of those kids “When you’re a data scientist, every day is different,” who’d pick at the questions in their maths book during she says. “For example, I’m working with data in lots the summer holidays.” of different sectors including smart manufacturing, Deciding to take a degree in mathematical science at the pharmaceuticals, finance, cancer University of Limerick was a life-changing research and autonomous vehicles, event. “I knew absolutely nothing about to name a few. Data is the linking statistics, mind you,” she remembers. thread. If you have an ability to make “Data science didn’t exist as a field at Prof. Norma Bargary is sense of data and statistics, you can that stage. But I took a statistics module a great example of UL’s go anywhere.” And forget the idea that in my first year and thought: ‘This is the data science isn’t creative. “Everything leadership in Data Science, career for me.’”

I do is creative!” says Professor Bargary. and an excellent role model.

If you’re thinking of a future in “I’m creating new algorithms for data science, you’ll need good critical ~ Professor Sean Arkins a start.”

Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering thinking skills — plus excellent The term ‘data scientist’ didn’t exist communication skills. If possible, get before 2008. “Since then, technology experience of working with data to has been developing at an exponential rate and make sure that it’s an area that would excite you. If it companies are becoming increasingly data-driven,” does, study a degree in a quantitative subject. “It doesn’t says Bargary, who is Professor of Data Science and have to be a maths degree, per se — but it should be Statistical Learning, at the University of Limerick. something that gives you a solid foundation in maths, “So, it’s no wonder that people with data skills are stats and computing,” says Professor Bargary. “With in such huge demand.” those critical skills you’ll be able to adapt to any changes that might occur in the data science arena in the future.”

Find out more at ul.ie

Support throughout your career is vital for STEM success The collaboration, teamwork and problem-solving involved in working as an engineer make it an attractive career for STEM minded girls.

F Fiona Griffin Senior Process Engineer, Alcon Laboratories WRITTEN BY Sean Duke

Paid for by Alcon Laboratories

iona Griffin, a Senior Project Engineer with Alcon, was interested in STEM subjects at school. Her father, who was an engineer, was an early role model; and she was keen to follow in his footsteps.

She studied biomedical engineering at university as this was an area where she felt she could make a difference to people by improving healthcare technology.

She is based at the Alcon plant in Cork, which employs 500+ people engaged in research, development and the manufacture of optical implants used when people develop cataracts, the world’s leading cause of blindness.

Role models needed at all levels In the workplace, Fiona feels energised by seeing what other female engineers, at a similar career stage, are achieving. Seeing female engineers at a more senior level demonstrates to her that success at a high level is in fact achievable. The Women in Leadership group at Alcon provides further support and inspiration.

Fiona says that men can also support women engineers in the workplace by listening closely to their ideas, acknowledging their contributions and giving them an equal voice in the discussion. Listening to everyone in the room helps everyone learn.

She works in the manufacturing engineering side of the business, which sometimes involves the development of cutting-edge machinery to enhance the existing manufacturing processes. This involves managing people, technical concepts and the logistics of getting equipment onsite and installed to meet production needs.

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Her advice for women in STEM is to believe in themselves and their abilities more, not to hold back when interesting positions arise. Push themselves to put their name forward, even if they don’t have everything the role requires, they should still go for it.

Find a mentor to support Her advice for women in STEM is to believe in themselves and their abilities more, not to hold back when interesting positions arise. Push themselves to put their name forward, even if they don’t have everything the role requires, they should still go for it.

Fiona advises both women and men interested in a career in STEM to find a mentor early on. There are lots of STEM companies running internal mentorship programmes; and she has personally benefitted from both male and female mentors that have challenged her and given her new insights.

Fiona would like to see even more girls consider a career in STEM and wants them to understand that these jobs are very interactive. They involve collaborating with a variety of people, working in teams and developing solutions together. She says she’d like young girls to understand that engineering is about solving problem together in teams and finding solutions that benefit society.

Find out more at alcon.com

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How to win the war for talent in the ever-changing construction industry

To make themselves more competitive, companies in the construction industry are working hard to ensure their current and future workforces are — and will be — fully inclusive.

Maura Winston Chief People Officer, Cairn Homes

Gavin Whelan Head of Construction and Operations, Cairn Homes

Helen J. Finlay Senior Technical Manager, Cairn Homes

WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

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t is an exciting time to be working in the construction industry insists Gavin Whelan, Head of Construction and Operations at Dublinheadquartered house builder, Cairn Homes Plc. That is partly because the sector is evolving and the construction worker stereotype is becoming increasingly outdated.

“Our industry is complex, multi-disciplined and multi-dimensional,” he says. “Our company is growing and to be the best, we require a wide variety of different skillsets and perspectives. It means that we offer an extensive range of opportunities and roles — for men and women.” This includes architects and designers, sales and marketing experts, public relations and human resources professionals, on-site engineers, project management and delivery teams, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) teams, among many others. Skilled women have never been in more demand.

What’s more, they’re needed right here, right now.

“Historically, Irish construction skillsets have been exported,” agrees Whelan. “But, with the housing crisis, we need to grow internally, which means that construction is no longer a short-term job. Indeed, the industry focus is very much on long-term, sustainable careers.”

Creating a diverse and inclusive STEM talent pipeline However, the sector does face a challenge. While increasing numbers of women are joining the construction industry, more are needed. Yet aiming for a balanced workforce isn’t some sort of PC, box-ticking exercise, says Maura Winston, Chief People Officer at Cairn. It’s a crucial part of building a sustainable business and a sustainable industry. “The sector must be made more appealing to women,” she says. “They are 50% of our potential workforce, after all. If we ignore the female population then we’re significantly limiting our ability to compete in the war for talent.”

The solution is to create a diverse and inclusive STEM talent pipeline. So, firstly, the industry needs to do more to

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Images provided by Cairn Homes

broaden the image of construction workers and highlight its female-friendly roles. Secondly, better education, partnerships and engagement with schools, colleges and career influencers is required. “Teachers and parents are the greatest influences on children’s career choices,” says Winston. “So, we should be talking to them to make sure they promote STEM careers for women. Plus, as a company, we recognise that Transition Year (TY) is a huge opportunity to run programmes designed specifically for young females to come into our organisation, see what we do and experience our culture.”

Developing, motivating and retaining the female workforce Helen J. Finlay, Senior Technical Manager at Cairn Homes, agrees that the visibility of women in construction is critical. She regularly talks to pupils about her career and when visiting primary schools always arrives in her hard hat and hi-vis jacket. “I start by asking the children: ‘What do you think my job is?’ Most of them say: ‘You’re a bricklayer!’ So even at primary school age they have pre-conceived notions. But then I tell them that my background is design, I qualified as an architect, and I work with the technical team. They’re almost shocked by that. But I firmly believe that if they can’t see it, they won’t be it. So, my message to girls and young women is: there’s absolutely nothing to stop you considering a career in this industry. Don’t close yourself off.

Establishing compelling graduate schemes and internships is a good way for companies to attract female STEM talent, says Finlay. Then, once they have joined an organisation, the focus must be on developing, motivating and retaining them. That means companies should partner with external organisations — such as The Irish Centre for Diversity — to ensure they are hitting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) targets; and including women in learning and development programmes in areas of their businesses where female representation is low.

Maura Winston says: “Ultimately, our overriding objective is finding, hiring and keeping top talent.”

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The construction industry offers opportunities for all

Quantity Surveyor, Philomena Byrne, shares her experiences of working in the construction industry and why she is proud to be a woman working in the sector.

How important is a diverse and inclusive workplace for you?

In something as intensely collaborative as construction, it’s great to have access to so many different viewpoints and perspectives.

A diverse and inclusive workforce allows team members to make themselves heard - all contributions and previous experiences are valued.

It facilitates new ideas, fresh perspectives and an engaged workforce.

At Cairn, everybody plays their part in creating a positive work environment where all people feel they can be themselves, where we are supported and valued both for who we are as individuals and for our unique contributions.

Spread paid for by Cairn Homes

How is inclusivity encouraged within your work?

Inclusivity is part of the culture, it’s promoted from the top down. At its core, there is a strong focus on people in the company – our team, partners, customers and the wider community – that helps bring a shared respect to how we interact with each other.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is a real area of focus for Cairn. One of the most recent initiatives was the establishment of an ED&I working group which includes over 20 representatives across the business. It is designed so employees can come together and identify and implement practical actions that supports people’s needs and allows for everyone’s voice to be heard.

Have you been inspired by role models throughout your career journey?

Role models matter, particularly for women to inspire them to be more ambitious and aim higher. Seeing is believing.

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Construction offers so much opportunity for women.

The industry is growing and needs more diverse talents to meet the needs of today’s construction projects.

Working at Cairn are some of the very best thought-driven leaders in our profession. Fergus McMahon, for example, who serves as Commercial Director of the Company has overseen the growth and strategy of our commercial team over this past few years.

Attaining the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Fellowship is a true mark of distinction, it has been great to learn from him and develop the skills and acumen required to excel in this industry. Fergus has promoted a strong work ethic within our team and actively encouraged me to pursue further professional endeavours.

Philomena Byrne Quantity Surveyor Cairn Homes

What would you say to a woman considering joining the construction industry?

I would say that construction is a great career option for anyone who likes working in a team and making an impact every day.

There are lots of opportunities to grow and learn new skills not only around the technical aspect of building buildings but also business, communication and leadership.

Construction is challenging and diverse, every project offers something new which offers so many opportunities for learning and developing which always attracted me to a career in construction.

Find out more at cairnhomes.com/ about/workwith-cairn

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Teamwork is key to being a successful software engineer An imaginative and practical course is helping produce work-ready software engineers who have valuable teamworking skills, whilst also encouraging diversity.

T Dr Mary Giblin Lecturer in Software Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, TUS

Dr Sheila Fallon Lecturer in Software Engineering, TUS

Malavika Padmakumar Student, Masters in Applied Software Engineering, TUS WRITTEN BY Linda Whitney

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eamwork advice from sports leaders, solving ancient Egyptian murder mysteries and learning work-ready skills that make you hyper-employable are just some of the reasons why so many women are taking the MSc in Applied Software Engineering at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone Campus.

“Half of our students are now women – that is far higher than the average for IT graduates, which is only one in five,” says Dr Mary Giblin, Course Coordinator and Lecturer on the course at TUS Athlone.

“We try hard to attract people with degrees in any relevant disciplines and it is not limited to young people.

Software engineering suits many women because it is a flexible career that lends itself to hybrid working and the skills are in demand.”

of the Rugby scrum,” says Sheila. “We’ve had guest speakers from the sports world including Roscommon County football manager Anthony Cunningham and Kevin Walsh from 100% Personal Training talking to students about team motivation, commitment and how to regroup when things go wrong.”

Another training initiative includes solving an online murder mystery. “It is based on a real historical event in ancient Egypt,” explains Sheila. “Students work together using the mechanics of escape room games to solve the mystery.”

Industry work experience Students work on a three-month industry-focussed project, specified by Ericsson, which enables students to work in teams to create a software product, working in a lab modelled on Ericsson’s own local facility, using its collaboration tools.

Mary says: “Senior Ericsson engineers coach the students throughout the projects and that provides networking Software engineering suits opportunities on both sides. It gives many women because it is invaluable insights into the Ericsson way of working and prepares students for their a flexible career that lends internships.”

Challenging misconceptions Many people picture software engineers as young men with just a computer for company, but Mary says: “That’s a myth.

Software engineering is most successful when carried out by diverse teams of people working together – which is why we put so much emphasis on teamwork.” itself to hybrid working and The one-year postgraduate course covers computing fundamentals, software the skills are in demand.

First-hand experience design, implementation and testing Malavika Padmakumar discovered and focuses on practical problem-solving skills. It is programming languages during her first degree in physics. free, students get a bursary toward financial and living Curious to know more, she started studying the Java expenses and there is a paid internship with tech and language online after graduating and then joined the communications company Ericsson, one of the sponsors TUS Applied Software Engineering course. of the course alongside ICT Skillnet Ireland.

“I changed my career plans to do this course. It takes The course aims to create work-ready graduates, you through from the basics to testing software within and those who pass with honours are offered a full-time six months,” says Malavika. “I love the focus on practical permanent job as a software engineer with Ericsson work and its great that 50% of the students are women. in Athlone.

“The students are all from different backgrounds and some have more experience with IT than others, so we Importance of teamwork talk and work together and learn from each other.

Course Lecturer Dr Sheila Fallon says: “Teamwork “Many women think software development means is so important in software development that we teach sitting alone with a computer, but this course is all about a module that helps students understand the strengths collaboration and sharing our thoughts. It never feels like of themselves and others and use personality profiling you are going to a class – you learn new things daily. and self-awareness training to aid in teamworking.”

It’s an opportunity for everyone.”

“The development process has its origin in the theory

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An industry-academic collaboration is enabling future software engineers Image provided by TUS/Ericsson

The outdated notion that software engineering is a career for males is being disproved by the success of female software engineers.

I Sinéad Pillion Head of Programs & Operations, PDU OSS, Ericsson Ireland

Paul Hourican PDU OSS Resource Manager, Ericsson Ireland

Barbara Quinn INFUSE Project Manager, Ericsson Ireland WRITTEN BY Sean Duke

t is a common misconception that software engineering is a career only for boys - or you must have a primary degree in science or engineering to be successful in the STEM workplace.

This is the view of Sinéad Pillion, Head of Programs and Operations at Ericsson, Athlone.

Sinéad completed a BCom degree in UCD followed by a STEM conversion course at AIT (now TUS), before starting her career.

Now a member of the leadership team in Athlone, Sinéad is invested in ensuring the site continuously attracts and grows their female talent by driving diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives that encourage females to progress and develop their careers. These supportive initiatives are paying off, she says, with the number of women in leadership roles on the site rising dramatically in recent years.

Prioritising a diverse and inclusive workforce The Athlone Software Campus has a large and highly skilled workforce focusing on e2e product development in cloud native, cloud RAN, automation, analytics, AI/ML, DevOps and orchestration technologies. This incredibly diverse workforce comprises of more than 1,200 employees (21% female, 48 different nationalities), 1,000 of whom work in agile software engineering teams.

This vibrant and dynamic working environment fosters continuous learning and innovation.

Academic partnerships Ericsson Athlone encourages and supports females through its sponsored STEM conversion master’s programme in Applied Software Engineering, in partnership with Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). The content of the masters is jointly developed with TUS, ensuring it covers the latest technologies needed by candidates starting their software careers.

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The pipeline of graduates from this master’s program has created a thriving software engineering ecosystem.

Anyone interested in applying for this master’s program can do so via Technology Ireland ICT SkillNet. Applicants must have a primary degree (anything from music to physics) and an aptitude for problem solving. The course starts in May and runs for 15 months, which includes a three month internship.

Successful graduates are hired each year, 40% of which are female. The pipeline of graduates from this master’s program has created a thriving software engineering ecosystem.

STEM is for everyone In addition, Ericsson has set up its award winning INFUSE programme to encourage and motivate young people to pursue a career in software engineering. This highly successful programme especially seeks to engage schoolgirls – at both primary and secondary level - to experience software engineering.

At primary level, children are shown the fun of problem solving, and learn the basics of how to build websites and computer games. This early engagement often leads girls to want to take on STEM subjects in secondary school – computers, science and maths.

At secondary, the girls are further encouraged down the STEM pathway through career talks and work experience programmes. The important message to get across to young girls is: “If you see it, you can be it!” Jobs in software engineering are not just for boys!

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Women returners: the solution to STEM diversity challenges?

More support is needed to assist women re-entering the workplace.

For me, this project was a pivotal experience in understanding that engineering can have a life-changing impact on marginalised communities.

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The career break “penalty” Women returning to work can face a ‘career break penalty” and be labelled as “risky candidates” by employers and recruiters. There is a perception that returners require special attention or hand-holding or that a career break automatically deteriorates skills. But the reality is that many women on a career break stay informed of what’s happening in their industry and often develop new transferable skills that bring value and a fresh perspective to organisations.

Calling for change We need to do things differently to address the gender imbalance within STEM and challenge biased methods that exclude or disadvantage women returners.

We must call on organisations to establish inclusive recruitment processes, encourage employers to view CV “gaps” differently and increase the percentage of women returners in mid-senior level STEM positions.

Gina Oglesby Founder and Director, Back to Work Connect

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STEM skills shortage There is a talent and diversity gap in the STEM industry, with employers crying out for highly-skilled, diverse talent.

It’s a candidate-driven market for sure.

However, unfortunately, for women returners, it’s not as simple as filling out an application form.

We’ve heard far too many stories of highly qualified and skilled women professionals locked out of roles and dismissed or overlooked during the initial screening process. In fact, according to the 2021 STEM Returners Index, 23% of women surveyed said they had personally experienced bias in the recruitment process due to their gender, compared to 8% of men.

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efreshing resumes, relearning or readjusting to processes, reforming relationships — it can all weigh heavily on our physical and mental health. But imagine, in addition to this, you’re also presented with misconceptions, conscious and unconscious bias and stigma - all based on a gap in your CV. Unfortunately, this is the stark reality for many women returning to the STEM workforce today.

Supporting global communities and inspiring Ireland’s future talent Aisling Hahessy, Ireland’s Engineer of the Year, explains how engineering directly impacts people’s lives and society.

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y engineering career has afforded me the opportunity to work on global projects and transform communities around the world. To date, I have been lucky to work on incredible structures, from city-shaping projects, such as new airport buildings in Mexico, metro stations in Saudi Arabia and an elevated station in Canada, to humanitarian and development work in Rwanda, Peru, Uganda and Bangladesh.

Broadening horizons One of the most rewarding aspects of my career is using my engineering skills to work on projects that help to reduce the inequalities experienced by the most vulnerable communities in the world.

In 2017, I travelled with a group of volunteers to rural Rwanda for a bridge construction project.

During the rainy season, the local communities were completely cut off from schools, healthcare and markets. The new bridge provides safe, year-round access for the 2,000 members of the community in close vicinity.

For me, this project was a pivotal experience in understanding that engineering can have a lifechanging impact on marginalised communities.

I am currently the lead structural engineer for the design of bamboo play structures in rural Bangladesh and the concept design of a music academy in a refugee camp in Uganda. I am also working as part of a team on the reconstruction and retrofit of 74 schools in Peru following the devastating impact of the 2017 El Niño storm. This

project will impact the lives of 47,000 children across Peru in its first year of completion alone.

Creating STEM pathways In addition to supporting international communities through my overseas development work, I think that community engagement at home is equally as important.

Throughout my career, I have been involved in a number of outreach initiatives to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects and careers. During the lockdown in 2020, I set up a mentoring programme to support Leaving Certificate students.

Engineering our future I believe that engineers have a vital role to play in solving the world’s most-pressing challenges.

Engineering is a collaborative and compassionate career which provides opportunities to improve people’s lives, whether working on projects at home or abroad. Helping the next generation to see the opportunities to make a difference through working in STEM is vital.

Aisling Hahessy Chartered Engineer, Engineer of the Year Engineers Ireland

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Helping parents to balance their career and family life The trend towards a more agile, flexible workplace, that is more supportive of parents is producing more women as STEM leaders.

R Róisín Gallagher Senior Manager, Systems Engineering, Deloitte

WRITTEN BY Sean Duke

Paid for by Deloitte

óisín Gallagher, Senior Manager in Systems Engineering, joined Deloitte after studying business at college. She detailed her work on technology projects with a pharmaceutical industry client in data migration.

After gaining technological know-how, she did a certification in project management and began working with some of the company’s largest public sector clients on other technological areas. During her time at the company, Róisín has learned about stakeholder management, how to become an effective mentor for junior members of staff and to remove any technological blocks that stand in the way of clients’ projects.

Open and clear communication Róisín is recently back from maternity leave after having her first child. She advises anyone thinking of having children to talk to their employer about it and what they might need, as early as possible.

It is important, she says, to be open and clear about what new working arrangements are needed as employers can’t ‘mind read’. She says Deloitte is a supportive place for women and has several initiatives to help parents achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Supporting work life balance The Deloitte Works approach, which embraces hybrid working, was in place before the pandemic but has

It is vital that girls have mentors, or visible role models if they are going to be encouraged into STEM careers. now come of age, she says. It puts trust in people to understand when they need to work in the office and when they can work at home just as well.

There can be challenges for working women to organise creche and school drop offs, but Róisín has always felt supported in this way.

She also has praise for the company’s special leave days, such as when parents want to attend their child’s first day of school. It means that they don’t need to take a day off as annual leave. Another Deloitte initiative called Time Out, offers further support by providing up to four weeks of unpaid leave as a block.

Róisín says that she learned a lot from watching a female project manager who became a role model for her career.

It is vital that girls have mentors, or visible role models if they are going to be encouraged into STEM careers. Her experience shows that it is possible for women to have a career in technology and an active family life.

Find out more at deloitte.ie/careers

A diverse workforce boosts creativity Bringing more women and people from diverse backgrounds into the workplace can help give a company a competitive design edge.

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iversity is valuable for any organisation and within an engineering environment can lead to a more innovative and creative design process.

In addition, bringing together people from different gender, ethnic and cultural backgrounds can also influence product range and style.

Anna Rafferty Lynam Graduate Mechanical Design Engineer, Logitech

Kathy Liu Senior Manager, CP&G Sustainability Engineering, Logitech

WRITTEN BY Mark Nicholls

Meanwhile, Anna Rafferty Lynam, who is a graduate mechanical engineer in the MX team, says having a diverse team broadens the outlook and offers different perspectives. “Different ethnicities, people of different ages and people with experience, really helps,” she adds.

“It is about fresh eyes.”

Creating new opportunities Changing the culture Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) are key tenets Logitech designs and creates products that bring people within computer and gaming specialist together through computing, gaming, Logitech. “DEI is regularly and openly video, streaming and creating. discussed within the company,” explains Senior manager Kathy Liu explains how Clare Harman, who is part of the MX prodthe company reaches out to attract more uct team, designing advanced keyboards women into the STEM arena.

There is a gap in this and mice.

That includes working with WeConnect “The more diversity you have within a to support women-led start-ups in STEM area for women. We team, the more diverse the ideas and more groups that help young women want to do what we can and creative you can become. We are always discover a passion for engineering to change the culture. trying to create new opportunities.” and coding.

“There is a gap in this area for women.

Helping employees feel valued We want to do what we can to change the culture,” adds Clare, who has a seven-month-old baby, liaises closely Kathy, who has been with the company for 17 years and with managers while she works from home and never started in China before being promoted to her current feels disadvantaged because she has children. “Embracing management role at the company’s offices in Cork, Ireland. diversity can also give organisations a competitive edge,” She believes having more women in engineering helps adds Clare, who points to DEI within a workplace as having focus on designing products relevant for women, such as benefits in terms of recruitment, retention and helping mice that take into account a woman’s smaller hand size. employees feel valued.

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Clare Harman Mechanical Engineer, Logitech

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As our three partner institutes come together in early 2022 to become the new Atlantic Technological University, I want to extend a warm welcome to all women to study a STEM discipline with us, whether on one of our many campuses, or remotely from your home or workplace.

Cuirfear fáilte mhór romhaibh!

Dr Orla Flynn President/Uachtarán, GMIT

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Strengthening women in STEM during the most critical junctures of their career Proactive measures are being taken to increase female representation in STEM investigator research grant programmes.

Three women from the Atlantic Technological University partners share their individual experiences of the sector.

Shagufta Henna

Dr Shagufta Henna Ph.D. (UK), Postdoc (IRL) Senior Member IEEE, Lecturer, Department of Computing, LYIT

Dr Fiona Malone Assistant Lecturer, Dept of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, GMIT

Dr Richéal M. Burns Lecturer in Health Information Technology, School of Science, IT Sligo

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I want to communicate that woman can establish a career in STEM as much as men can, thanks to the significant push of STEM by Letterkenny IT through the offering of a large number of industry-led programs. Specifically, the new Technological University will broaden the exposure and opportunities for women to promote research and innovation. It will bring women to the forefront to take initiatives on investigator-led research grants during the most critical junctures in their careers to bridge the gap of perceived research leadership.

As a computer scientist, I urge the need to strengthen academic, research and practical STEM environments that can cultivate creative ways to address science and technology problems that are inclusive. STEM careers, such as science and technology, have challenges due to rapid developments which require continuous engagement and awareness.

To address these challenges, we need to engage women in research and innovation through good representation in national/ international research grants.

We need to ensure that gender balance is reflected in our portfolio of research awards and gender dimension is tackled well in funded research through the Atlantic Technological University partners in all collaborations with industry and funding agencies.

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Fiona Malone

I always had a flare for maths and science in school and enjoyed those classes. For my Leaving Cert I had to go to the boys’ school across the road to learn physics. Looking back, not having physics offered as a subject in my own school might have discouraged other girls from studying it. I was one of only 10 girls in the country awarded an engineering scholarship with SFI that year as I went on to study biomedical engineering for my undergraduate degree I work in science communication which is the practice of communicating science-related topics to non-experts. In 2019, I won Famelab Galway – a science communication competition whereby scientists speak about their research for three minutes without presentation slides. I spoke about my research in atrial fibrillation and ischemic strokes.

I have represented GMIT at other communication events like Soapbox Science, Brightclub and I’m an Engineer and was invited by the Irish Embassy in Indonesia to give a series of talks on improving women’s access to STEM. GMIT and the Atlantic Technological University have given me a platform to show everyone that women have a place in STEM. As the saying goes - if she can’t see, she can’t be.

Richéal Burns

STEM is for everyone!

There is still a strong belief that STEM career paths necessitate high performance in mathematics and science. My expertise is in health informatics and economic modelling. I love my career and the adventure and fulfilment it’s brought to my life.

Failing chemistry for my Leaving Cert - not because I wasn’t smart or capable but because I just didn’t get it at the time - was a huge blow to my ambitious spirit. Pressures of being a teenager can be overwhelming and the Leaving Cert process doesn’t let everyone shine the way we are meant to.

I loved mathematics, logic and problem solving but didn’t achieve those ‘sacred points’ to follow that path at that time. Access routes to STEM education and career paths are more diverse now; so, don’t be deterred by the traditional performance metrics that ‘tell you how smart you are.’ Follow your passions! If understanding how things work, cause and effect and using tools to understand how to evolve society excites you – STEM is for you!

Now more than ever we need students who want to be part of making our tomorrow better. STEM careers can provide the catalyst to ignite your passion for change!

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