To be honest, I fell into it rather than it being a lifelong ambition. It certainly wasn’t something I had always dreamed of doing. I studied Maths and Further Maths at A-level, and one of my older sisters had pursued engineering, which is how it first came onto my radar. Engineering wasn’t something I was particularly set on, but I found myself drawn to its problem-solving nature and the opportunities it provided. In hindsight, it was the right path for me, as it has led to a career that I find both challenging and rewarding.
I am the continuous improvement (CI) lead for rolling stock, working within Alstom Performance Systems (APSYS). I manage a small team of Lean Six Sigma experts, and together we strive to create an environment where everyone feels empowered and confident to apply CI methodologies to support business objectives. Our vision is to nurture a workplace culture where continuous improvement is an integral part of how we operate.
We focus on three main levers; executing activities and actions that help Alstom achieve its performance objectives, developing our colleagues through training and coaching to embed a culture of continuous improvement and, deploying innovative tools and techniques to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across the organisation.
As Chair of the Voices of Women employee resource group at Alstom, I’ve been actively involved in several initiatives aimed at fostering an inclusive workplace. For example I lead the ‘Women@Alstom Spotlight’ series – with over 400 employees participating in interviews with senior female leaders from across the company – and the ‘Be the U in inclUsive’ roadshow, which visited most of the business’ 37 sites across the UK and Ireland.
More recently, I helped shape Alstom’s new sector-leading maternity and adoption policy for staff in the UK, which offers eligible employees full pay for up to 12 months. This policy is viewed as a critical part of Alstom’s commitment to supporting female retention and attracting new talent into the organisation and wider rail sector. Meanwhile, we have also introduced free period care in all female toilets, which will soon be expanded for all shared facilities.
Encouraging the next generation into my industry is something I am passionate about and last year, I was proud to organise InspiHer, which saw 25 of our UK sites open their doors to female students in Years 7 and 8 – with the aim of inspiring them to pursue a career in rail or STEM. Held on International Women’s Day, we provided students from 26 schools with a deeper understanding of Alstom’s female-friendly culture, career opportunities and industry trends. Senior females from the business were involved at all participating sites, sharing their personal experiences, advice and practical support for students considering their career journeys.
There isn’t a single answer to this; it was a combination of factors. Firstly, I served as the Industrial Liaison Officer for the IMechE at Alstom, encouraging chartership and promoting continuous professional development. Becoming a Fellow was the natural next step. Simultaneously, a colleague – who recognised my contributions and achievements – encouraged me to apply.
However, I was once told that I wouldn’t achieve Fellowship because I was a woman—which, if anything, motivated me even more to prove them wrong. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of, and it has helped me manage imposter syndrome by reinforcing the recognition of my contributions to the profession.
Engineering is an incredibly rewarding and varied career. My advice would be: just go for it! Be your authentic self and don’t be afraid to challenge stereotypes. There are so many opportunities within engineering and it’s a profession where you can truly make a difference.
I love how tangible engineering is too. I’ve got two young daughters and when we travel to London by rail, it’s great to be able to point out all the trains I’ve been involved with and this then inspires them in turn.
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