23 Jun 2021
It’s International Women in Engineering Day, a chance to celebrate the amazing work by women in engineering and technical roles. Here, we meet two inspiring women who are shifting demographics in the field of engineering and joining the movement to inspire future generations of girls and women.
Q: What is your job title and what is your area of work?
Rebecca Beasley
A: My job title is Principal Engineer Strategic Planning and I work on the long-term strategic plan for the electricity distribution network in the ACT.
Jessica Evers
A: I’m the Embedded Generation Team Lead. I work on processing applications for embedded generation, which includes solar photovoltaic system (PV), battery storage, diesel generation and even landfill gas generation.
Q: Why did you choose Engineering as a career path?
Rebecca Beasley
A: I always liked maths and science, but couldn’t see myself as an academic or teacher, so engineering seemed like a great fit.
Jessica Evers
A: I enjoyed and excelled at maths and physics at school. I also have a passion for making a positive impact on our environment and saw engineering as a way to do this.
Q: What inspires you about Engineering?
Rebecca Beasley
A: I like being able to solve challenges and make the most of opportunities.
Jessica Evers
A: The built environment we have created is remarkable with all the different pieces that work together. Something as simple as flicking on a switch to have light requires so many people to work together to design and install the infrastructure to make it possible.
Q: What Is the most exciting project you have worked on in your career/you’re working on now?
Rebecca Beasley
A: I’m currently enjoying working towards the connection of a third-party battery to the electricity network, in order to defer the construction of a new zone substation which is large and expensive network infrastructure. This project is an important step towards the network of the future!
Jessica Evers
A: Seeing a growing number of large and medium scale battery projects around the ACT is very exciting. The way in which we generate and use electricity is changing and it is amazing to be a part of the change.
Q: What are your hopes for the future of women working in engineering?
Rebecca Beasley
A: In my time in the industry, I’ve already seen the number of women in the field increase, but I’d love to see it reach parity, and for women to no longer be the first, or only woman in their team.
Jessica Evers
A: I hope that more women will be seen, not just in engineering, but in leadership roles within the industry. I hope that when they enter the field, they are supported to stay long term, and not worn out with micro aggressions. Creating a culture that welcomes women and gender diverse people is an important step towards this goal.