International Women’s Day 2021

This year for International Women’s Day, we wanted to celebrate the women we have worked with across a wide range of industries including Aerospace, Construction, Automotive, Finance and Legal. We spoke to them about their choice of career and advice they would give to young women looking to specialise in their industries. They provided us with some excellent insights on their previous experiences and achievements.

Chrissie Rowlinson, Marketing Manager, Dudley Industries Ltd; A Rentokil Initial Company.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“I knew when I started studying for G.C.S.E. Business Studies that this was the route I wanted to take further through my education. At University during my Business Management degree, one of my favourite subjects was Production and Operations Management.  But it wasn’t until a couple of roles into my early career working in FMCG manufacturing that the penny really dropped for me and I realised that I simply love understanding how things are made.  This combined with my passion for marketing was the perfect combination.  And whilst I have service marketing experience, working in manufacturing and being part of a busy factory environment, seeing ideas on paper come to fruition will never become boring!”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“Gain as much experience as you can, whether this is work experience placements, volunteer roles or hobbies. Experience sets you apart from others, experience will help build your self-confidence and experience gives you something to talk about. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, others in the room will be wishing they had the confidence to ask them. And ignore stereotypes, they only exist if we allow them to.”

Ratna Parikh, Corporate Relationship Director, HSBC UK Plc.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“Being a person who thrives on ‘change’, ‘knowledge’ and ‘challenges’, banking came to me naturally but not after eliminating other options like Veterinary Doctor, Software Engineer and Professional Singer. I finished my schooling with science as the main subject, followed by graduation in classical music and computer applications (IT). I decided that talking to a computer for the rest of my life isn’t for me as I love talking to clients, listening to them and making tangible impact. Hence banking! Do not want to change it and will not change it. Corporate front line banking jobs are highly regulated, making them safe and rewarding places to work. The career offers integrity and stability. There are many opportunities to broaden your knowledge and skills and make a real difference. Being involved in client’s strategic decisions and financial planning is thrilling. You build strong communication and problem-solving skills. The above led me to specialise in my industry.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“The gender imbalance in the corporate banking is very visible, however, this comes with plenty of opportunities. HSBC are very aware of this and have many programmes trying to accelerate women into key roles, so a good time to work for a bank. Do not shy away.

If you are a passionate person who believes in making a difference and can take a commercial view whilst abiding by the industry rules then banking is definite for you.

Do not think that you must have all the knowledge before applying for a job (any job), learning on the job is the best way of learning. Books will only take you so far, banking is all about your practical knowledge and interpersonal skills.”

Cerys Cooper, Product Development Engineer, Allevard Springs.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“I always had an interest in cars from a young age and very much enjoyed the design aspect of design technology when in school. When the option came up to apply for an Apprenticeship in the technical department of an automotive manufacturer, I just had to apply! I first worked in quality when I finished my apprenticeship but knew that design would be more suited to me, I worked one day per week in the CAD department until a full-time position was offered to me. I haven’t looked back since; I love designing new products and seeing them come to life when I create the CAD models for them.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“Go for it! Engineering in the past has been a predominantly male environment but more and more women are making successful careers in the industry. Be confident and sure of yourself, don’t be afraid to speak up even if you are in a room full of men.”

Cara Miller, Partner, MHA MacIntyre Hudson.

What led you to specialise in this industry?

“When I was younger, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I was nervous about investing lots of time into the wrong career path.  A careers advisor at school mentioned a vacancy with an accountancy practice and thought it might be a good move for me.  I went for an interview, got the job and stayed there for 13 years.  Although I have moved firms, I have stayed in the profession and I love what I do.  I think what really appealed to me was that a qualification in accountancy would never be a waste of time because there are so many types of accountant, it is a fantastic first step on a variety of career paths.  I felt I was able to obtain a brilliant qualification, gain practical work experience and have time to understand exactly what I wanted from my career. As it turned out, I chose to stay in practice but there are so many opportunities for qualified accountants.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“If you think accountancy might appeal to you then just give it a go, you’ve got nothing to lose. If you can, talk to people in the profession to find out more about what its really like to do the job. Research different firms to try and find one that offers a good study package for trainees and whose culture and values feel aligned to your own.  Oh – and don’t let a dislike of maths put you off – of course numbers are a part of the job but not the biggest part!”

Neha Sharma, Group Product Manager, Conex Banninger – IBP Group.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“This industry is truly the backbone of our daily lives from the homes we live in, the buildings we work in, and the hospitals we visit. I was drawn to work in this industry for the high degree of impact that managing innovative and large-scale projects can have. The outcomes tend to lift the market and prepare the industry for future modernisms.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“Now more than ever women are in senior roles and their expertise would be highly sought after in this industry. Currently, there is a skills shortage in line with an ageing workforce. Women would certainly help fill this gap and in turn add value to a legacy industry.”

Elsa Hogan, Managing Director, RHH Franks.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“From a young age I always loved aviation and tinkering with things! My father was a highly skilled engineer and so I was drawn to the industry, qualifying, and working for many years as a helicopter technician. I loved every aspect of it and then had a great opportunity to be part of an organisation which manufactures aircraft parts. I learned a great deal about manufacturing and am now able to get involved in many aspects from design, planning, manufacture all the way to delivery and with my previous skills of working on live aircraft, I understand how important quality and integrity is within the aerospace industry.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“My advice to any young woman looking to pursue a career in aerospace and/or manufacturing would be to just get started and get as much hands-on experience as possible. Apprenticeships are an amazing opportunity to earn whilst you learn, and you gain valuable knowledge and skills that no book can teach you. If you transition into a supervisory or managerial position, your hands-on experience gives you the knowledge you need to make informed decisions.”

Sue Dowman, Managing Director, Aston Park Law Limited.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“Having been a paralegal for a couple of years (back in the 90s), I was encouraged by a QC (Barrister) to pursue a legal career as a solicitor (he later went on to become a High Court Judge and then a Judge in the Court of Appeal).  That led to seven years of hard work and studying through evening classes, distance learning and law school whilst continuing my day job of being a paralegal!  As a paralegal I was involved in commercial and corporate legal work, so it was an easy choice to specialise in these areas. After all the hard work and studying, I qualified as a solicitor, becoming a Partner in a large firm of solicitors, and then set up my own law firm last year.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“Be a sponge!  You’ll be on a steep learning curve for at least the first five years and you’ll end up doing something different every day and so you’ll never be in a ‘comfort zone’.  Work hard but enjoy your spare time – you don’t get anywhere in life without working hard at it.  Depending on your area of speciality you could be the only female on the deal – that is certainly true for corporate law – but things are equalising as more women come into this area.  I have never regretted becoming a solicitor; it has kept me intellectually challenged, means I always have an attention to detail and has given me the confidence that I would never have had.”

Kathy Clements, ISO Lead Consultant and Head of Learning and Development, Assent.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“Assent is a family business – started by my brother when I was a teenager. While I was getting my degree, I worked a few hours a week at the company alongside another job, and when I graduated, the obvious move seemed to be to properly qualify as a consultant and lead auditor in ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems) and join the company full time. My first client was a large company with an almost entirely female staff and management team, which was extremely rare back in 2011!

A career in consultancy and auditing allows you to meet an incredibly broad range of people and see and learn things that you wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to. I actually got to see how they clean the extremely delicate old tapestries at National Trust sites, because I worked with the company that made the specialist equipment.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“My advice for young women considering this career is to chat to as many people in the industry as possible, to be open to all kinds of different opportunities (believe me, there’s plenty on offer), and to have the confidence to lead. Every client is vastly different, so other consultants and auditors can give you insights that you’d never have thought of. Some clients need you to provide more support than others, and you sometimes need to have the confidence to keep steering them in the right direction when they’re in doubt.”

Lisa Fretwell, Partner Excellence Expert, Dassault Systèmes.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“I have worked in sales since 1991 and the IT industry for 21 years (previously working for EMC & Dell) – in 2014 I was made redundant from Dell and decided to take a role with a smaller organization. I quickly realized that my preference was to work for a Vendor and searched for my ideal company – looking at Dassault Systèmes I really resonated with their values  “IFWE – Challenge the Status Quo”, “IFWE – Show the Dream is Possible” and the company vision and purpose, “harmonizing product, nature and life” to drive sustainable innovation with a platform that truly helps organizations achieve their sustainability goals too.  Despite not having a background in engineering or PLM I was given the opportunity based on my experience and skillset and have never looked back – I love my job and the career opportunities I have been given, I am passionate about the solution and I love working for Dassault Systèmes.”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“My advice for young women is never to sell yourself short – with the right attitude you can learn anything and remember that empathy in the workplace is important. Providing you have the passion and desire to make things happen you can achieve anything you want to and you will build your supporters along the way.”

Chloe Starks, Design and Marketing Co-ordinator, Modus Furniture.

What led you to specialise in your industry?

“Empowerment! I was seeking a career that could not only empower me but positively influence others too. I believe design is about problem solving and enhancing daily life; there’s great value in knowing my work is making a difference or having an impact on people’s lives or perspectives.

Sadly, we are still living in a world where women have to fight for parity and throughout my studies and my career, gender imbalance has often been evident. However, this has only motivated me, against the odds, to grow and excel in this industry. Women have always been, and will continue to be, a critical part of the design industry and I refuse to become another statistic!

Another positive from the recognition of inequality in the design world is the community it has inspired. I’ve fostered strong connections with a cohort of talented females within the industry and had the opportunity to collaborate with some bad-ass women!”

What advice would you give to young women looking to pursue a career in this industry?

“I feel lucky that my experience of working in the creative industry has been positive.

When I was younger, there were times when I queried whether certain roles were suitable because of my gender but, overall, I haven’t felt that I can’t be ambitious or successful because I am a woman.

I have also learned that whether working solo or in a team, I have the ability to influence, inspire, provoke thought and engage in meaningful conversations – when you embrace this, believe in yourself and enjoy the process, you feel empowered and a sense of belonging in your role, regardless of your biological make-up.”