Sally Sudworth
WES Trustee, and Sustainability Lead and National Programme Manager, Environment Agency
The modern world is facing more challenges than ever. It is important to examine how a diverse range of engineering talent can help tackle these emerging issues.
Engineers save lives, fact. It is through the infrastructure we provide, that communities are able function. As Director for the engineering charity, Engineers for Overseas Development, where graduates who are training to become professionally qualified, this is very apparent. Alleviating poverty through food stores, water supply, grinding mills, maternity units and health centres in villages in sub-Saharan Africa, our graduates return with a keen sense of purpose of their role as engineers.
Specifically, the climate change emergency is the biggest challenge that we face as engineers. Being innovative and finding creative solutions to how we can work, live and play – now and in the future – relies on drawing on the fullest possible pool of talent. Diversity will be one of the keys to unlocking that opportunity.
The contribution of women in the past century
Over the last 100 years, we have recognised the contributions that women can make. The opportunity that the first and second world wars provided to so many women unfortunately dissipated.
Our ambition at WES is to reach 30% female engineers in the UK engineering workforce by 2030. Current statistics from the Engineering Council show that female engineers make up just 12% of the entire UK engineering population. And, while there is a trend in the right direction, we definitely need more women.
Finding inspiration in your career
Another key to unlocking the future is for employers to provide an environment where employees are comfortable and confident to be their natural selves, and to find the right job that inspires them. When people love the work they do, the power of discretionary effort kicks in. Now you’re really talking: added value to the organisation and immense job satisfaction for the individual.
Helping children understand the possibilities
School children and students are generally unaware of the range of engineering careers available to them. From tackling climate change and alleviating flooding, to providing prosthetics for patients with lost limbs, outfitting warships, designing rollercoasters and robotics; there is something for everyone.
We can also reach young people through social media; hoping that this easy-to-access knowledge will help them become more aware of their choices. The climate change emergency is a driver that is very likely to draw in a cohort of enthusiasts who want to protect their future and those are future generations. Engineers need to be at the heart of this. #bestjobintheworld
Sally Sudworth is a chartered engineer and chartered environmentalist. She is the sustainability lead for flood and coast at the environment agency and is national programme manager for asset management. Sally is also the honorary secretary and a trustee for the women’s engineering society and is a director for engineers for overseas development. She is married with two grown-up children.