The Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) Public Careers Fair, which was held in Hull, showcased the variety of options available for women to work in these dynamic and fascinating fields.
Around 200 girls from various schools in the Humber region attended the event during the day, and about 70 ladies joined them in the evening.
The purpose of the event was to promote gender equality in the workplace, dispel prejudices, and encourage girls and women to seek professions in these fields.
Frances Oliver was one of the powerful women providing a peek into many professions.
Frances oversees the National Highways project to improve A63 Castle Street, which is remaking Hull’s downtown.
She is in charge of this £355 million improvement, which will boost safety, strengthen linkages between the city centre and leisure and tourist attractions, and improve access to the port.
Frances remarked:
In order to prevent women and girls from fearing that they will be the only females on their team if they pursue certain roles, I wish to encourage equality. What you cannot see, you cannot be.
Frances joined National Highways in 2007 after earning a BA in linguistics from the University of York in 2006.
She began working for the company in the HR division before moving on to work in finance management for IT projects.
Later, she got into project management. She claims:
This was a fantastic way to get involved in a demanding and public-facing field.
In 2012, she relocated to Major Projects. With the help of the company, Frances worked her way up, eventually rising to the position of deputy project manager for the A63 plan before being promoted to project manager.
She claims:
I’ve worked on a lot of different construction projects, but this is the biggest one I’ve ever seen, and I get to manage it!
Frances claims she can’t remember ever seeing a female engineer or project manager when she was a child:
If you can’t see anything, I believe you are unaware that you can accomplish it. I want to emphasise that there are wonderful roles available for everyone and that different sorts of women are playing them. I work on our team with amazing women.
Green Port Hull served as the event’s coordinator. In order to encourage investment and growth in the renewable energy sector in the Humber region, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, and North Lincolnshire Council have joined forces.
In order to guarantee long-term economic prosperity for the region, it also intends to support investors and their supply networks.
Dr. Kirsty Clode, the WiME chair, said:
We’re delighted that Frances and the National Highways team could attend our Hull careers event, which was attended by female staff members from more than 35 different companies.
Our events are organised in such a way that girls and women can talk to the women who play these roles, and this makes a significant impact. We are incredibly appreciative of everyone who sacrificed their time to make this happen.
In order to leave a lasting “local first” legacy that benefits charities, businesses, suppliers, schools, and colleges over the course of the project, National Highways and delivery partner Balfour Beatty collaborated.
The programme encourages young people to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through employment and skill-building activities.
In the past year, the project team has interacted with more than 12,000 students and provided STEM-based activities to colleges, universities, and schools, including a full day for 45 children from a nearby special education needs and disabilities school.
Women in Engineering and Manufacturing (WiME)
The goal of WiME is to persuade more women to work in these fields.
Careers in manufacturing and engineering offer a wide variety of intriguing and exciting positions, which play a significant role in our economy, along with fantastic income, a high number of openings, and good prospects.
To support, promote, and inspire women to explore the prospects in manufacturing and engineering, Green Port Hull established WiME.
With the help of a network of 50 local businesses, WiME has become stronger and has engaged with over 2,700 women and girls to promote STEM education and job prospects.