Key Insight
“The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it.”
— Kalpana Chawla
Over a hundred years ago, a group of women came together to make a difference. They were determined to continue their careers in engineering, even as the world tried to go back to gender norms prevalent before the First World War.
The passion of these trailblazing engineers gave birth to the Women’s Engineering Society, an organisation committed to empowering women engineers, promoting gender equality, and inspiring the next generation of female engineers.
Their mission persists today, highlighted every year on the 23rd of June. A day celebrated in over 100 countries as International Women in Engineering Day.
Women in Engineering
The day draws attention to the gender gap in engineering and technical professions. Women today make up approximately 16.5% of the global engineering workforce, making contributions that span industries and every corner of the world.
At AM International, women are playing increasingly important roles, be it in technical, operational, or leadership functions. They empower operations across our manufacturing entities with their talent, and the stories they carry reflect what a truly merit-driven workplace looks like. For some, it begins with a decision to claim their place. Liza M, Junior Officer, Quality at TPL, sees it as a matter of potential.
“Dreams are not just your future milestones, but the blueprints for the world that has yet to see your full potential.” She works in a field that was once predominantly male, and she is proof that those margins have shifted. Getting there, however, takes more than ambition. Hinduja B, Senior Engineer, HCD Production at TPL, learned early that opportunity rarely arrives uninvited. “It’s two things,” she believes, “to learn to ask and to have a bit of courage.
If you speak up, ask for what you want, or simply show interest, people notice and things start to change.”
Once in the door, you are surrounded by talent and experience. Sharmila, DCS Panel Engineer at MPL, finds that in the people she works alongside. “What I enjoy the most is being part of a team with experienced seniors. It gives me confidence and satisfaction to contribute to the smooth functioning of the plant.” For S. Aishwarya, Quality Control Lab at SPIC, the same environment taught her something equally valuable. “The support that helped me grow was the freedom to learn even from my mistakes. Growth doesn’t always come from getting things right the first time, but from understanding what went wrong and improving it.”
Key Insight
Together, these women engineers represent something larger than their individual journeys. They are evidence that when the right environment exists, talent finds its way, and that the future of engineering is already being shaped by those willing to step forward and lead.
The Case for Diversity
To organisations around the world, diversity has rightfully become an ideal. The stories of the women it produces are its most compelling argument. Research published by Forbes found that decisions made and executed by diverse teams delivered 60% better results. In engineering specifically, where problems are complex and the stakes are high, diverse perspectives can be crucial.
Encouraging girls to pursue technical careers and building inclusive workplace cultures. At AM International, our policies are designed to create visible role models within industry. We develop and nurture talent, emphasising on merit, curiosity, and the confidence to lead across our organisations.
Shaping the Future
The future of engineering will be defined by who we empower to shape it. The women across our companies are already doing that, and will continue to do so as we grow. They will grow and bring change, building workplaces where talent is recognised on its own terms. On International Women in Engineering Day, we celebrate them, and we recommit to building the kind of workplaces where many more can follow.
