Engineering is a great choice for girls
Published: 23 June, 2016
Gugu Moyo is a quality and planning engineer at British UV water disinfection specialist Hanovia. As National Women in Engineering Day is on June 23, she reflects on the challenges and opportunities of a profession where only 6% of professional engineers are women.
Like many teenagers I considered many career options. Growing up in Zimbabwe, the challenges facing girls wanting to go into engineering were much the same as in the UK, with widespread misunderstanding about what engineers do. I have found that, in the UK, people judge you by your ability as an engineer, not on your gender.
I came to the UK in 2007 to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Greenwich, followed by a Masters in Mechanical Manufacturing and Engineering. During both qualifications there was significant practical experience in secondments to companies.
These experiences showed me what working life is really like made me realise how important work experience is – and how more girls might come into engineering if they could see engineering at first hand while still at school. It gave me a real insight into what to expect in an engineering career after university, and the skills I learned have constantly come into play.
t: 01753 515300
e: gunvinder.bhogal@hanovia.com
Click here for the full unedited version of the release as provided by the company
