Liz Allan
Vice President Engineering & Design, Biopharma & Life Sciences, Northern Europe, Exyte
Aoife McCabe
Process Department Manager, Biopharma & Life Sciences, Northern Europe, Exyte
Gillian Murphy
Contract Manager, Data Centers, Northern Europe, Exyte
Companies that champion equality and diversity are more innovative and motivated, say three women from the leadership team of a design, engineering and delivery firm.
What attracted you to a career in engineering?
Aoife McCabe (AM): I was lucky that I had a very good physics and maths teacher who brought out my love of those subjects. Also, my dad was an engineer and he inspired me to study mechanical engineering and subsequently chemical engineering.
Liz Allan (LA): At school, I found essay writing less appealing, but I was always good at science and maths. I liked the ‘black and white’ nature of it, and how I could take what I had learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world.
Has the male-dominated nature of STEM ever been a challenge?
Gillian Murphy (GM): When I studied quantity surveying, there were 100 people on my course, and five of them were women — so, yes, it was daunting. I stuck with it, applied myself and graduated in the top three in my class.
LA: There have been times when I was the only woman in the room. While that might be off-putting to some, I’ve always seen myself as equal to those around me. Thankfully, gender imbalance is slowly improving, though true parity is still a long way off across the industry. However, more companies are now prioritising initiatives that will drive meaningful progress moving forward.
How does your company create an inclusive culture?
GM: By developing a culture of open communication, through employee engagement surveys and performance and development dialogue, for example. This ensures equal growth opportunities, fosters an environment where everyone feels valued and encourages diverse perspectives. Then, there are elements such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training, inclusive hiring and leadership practices and supporting employee resource groups.
Having visible female role models is
important because it shows them that an
engineering career is available if they want it.
Which initiatives promote gender equality in STEM roles?
AM: We offer family-friendly policies, including flexible working, and comprehensive maternity and paternity leave, appealing to both men and women. We provide equal career growth opportunities and host webinars with inspiring speakers on topics like women’s health. Additionally, we celebrate International Women’s Day with team-building activities that honor the female talent in our company.
How can STEM companies ensure they empower female leaders?
LA: We establish women’s networks, identify female talent, and offer career development programs. Female leaders are at the forefront of empowering young talent. Our global graduate program, based on DEI principles, attracts both male and female candidates. In Northern Europe, two out of five graduates this year are female, a positive shift in a male-dominated field. We’re committed to improving gender balance through early engagement.
GM: By creating a level playing field with an inclusive culture offering equal opportunities for growth. Women bring unique skills and perspectives to STEM, driving positive change and growth, especially in leadership roles. For example, women often excel at understanding emotions, making them strong leaders and managers.
How can the STEM industries attract more women?
GM: Early engagement in schools is crucial to inspire young women into STEM. Organizations like iWish support this by organizing events where schools can meet companies and women in leadership, showcasing career possibilities. STEM offers exciting projects, challenges, and the chance to travel, work across various sectors, and continually learn, making it a rewarding career path.
LA: There’s often a lack of awareness about the diverse careers within STEM, with engineering sometimes being associated solely with ‘construction.’ However, this misses the many innovative and impactful roles in fields like biomedical engineering, process engineering, robotics and data engineering. These disciplines are all about finding creative solutions to challenges in health, sustainability and technology. Engineering in these areas offers exciting opportunities to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
AM: Our company recently attended iWish, the event showcasing STEM subjects to teenage girls. It was amazing to talk to young women about their job hopes and wishes, plus the opportunities offered by STEM. Having visible female role models is important because it shows them that an engineering career is available if they want it.
