International Women in Engineering Day at chapmanbdsp

To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we asked our engineers about their work, what drives them and their aspirations for the future.

Sylvia Odey, our Graduate Electrical Engineer, said: “I chose a career in engineering because I like to discover and improve the quality of things to make them work better. I love challenges and learning new skills. My role involves working towards a good standard always, and to achieve a comfortable, efficient, and safe environment as well as designing and maintaining electrical systems for buildings, transport systems and power distribution networks.

"The most exciting thing is to find a solution for a difficult problem. I love challenges and knowing that my work has made a real difference in the project gives me a lot of satisfaction. I have learnt so much and know I will keep learning as the variety of projects means there is always new things to learn. My goal is to continue developing my skills and expertise and inspire the younger generation to peak their interest in engineering.”

Our Principal Mechanical Engineer, Leah Lucien, said:  “I have been working in the construction industry for the past 7 years as a mechanical design engineer. Prior to this, my background spans various industries within the engineering field, but I chose to move to construction out of a desire to see my designs come to life, which I have found to be extremely rewarding.

"At chapmanbdsp, I’ve been lucky enough to work on a wide range of complex and diverse schemes that have provided the opportunity to explore many different aspects of design. Our designs strive to apply the latest guidance in innovative ways, allowing us to ensure that when buildings are occupied, they are as safe as possible but continue to remain efficient and environmentally friendly. I aim to continue contributing to the construction industry, motivated by the hope of making a small difference to the landscape we live in.”

Our Senior Mechanical Engineer, Ruth Tatanga, said: “I am a mechanical engineer and have been working in the industry for the past 10 years. I bake, I volunteer, I’m passionate about what I do and where I am in the engineering world. In relation to this year’s theme, I believe in safety, both in terms of workspace and inclusivity, and in both cases the industry has evolve and I’ve grown with it.

"When I started, beside boots, sites wouldn’t have gloves or EPI my size and I had to use slightly bigger items and adapt to manoeuvre using them. Today we can clearly see on site EPI allowances for smaller shape workers, and separate toilets cubicles for women. It has become more and more comfortable to work in these environments, and the industry have grown in making my Safety Seen."