Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day

As a business we champion all our employees each and every day and strive to develop a workforce that is diverse.

In the engineering sector, it’s long been a challenge to encourage women into roles, but through ongoing activities, such as local outreach and apprenticeships we are proud to employ a number of females across the business.

By working in our local community, we highlight not just engineering and STEM roles but show the benefits of working in an engineering company. Demonstrating that roles and opportunities can be varied and rewarding and have real-world impact. We’ve also worked hard over the years to grow and develop our apprenticeship programme.

We spoke to a couple of our current employees about how they started their career and what advice they would give to others about pursuing a career in engineering.

Katie Brown, Quality Technician, Quality Team

“I’ve always enjoyed being hands on and solving problems, so engineering felt like a natural fit for me. I’ve worked at Hydram as a Quality Technician for almost two years, and I like that no two days are the same and that my role allows me to contribute to producing products that have a real purpose. Working in engineering has also given me the opportunity to learn and develop new skills, which is something I really value.

“I’ve been really fortunate to work alongside experienced colleagues who have shared their knowledge and supported my development. And some of the best advice I’ve been given is to never be afraid to ask questions and to always be willing to learn. Engineering is an industry where you never stop learning and being curious and open-minded is one of the best ways to grow.

“I believe one of the biggest misconceptions of engineering is that it is only about machines and is a career mainly suited to men. Engineering is incredibly varied and relies on a wide range of skills, including communication, teamwork and attention to detail. In my role, I challenge this misconception by showing that engineering offers opportunities for everyone and that there are many different career paths within the industry.

“I’d encourage people to give engineering a chance, even if they don’t know exactly what area they want to work in. It’s a career with endless opportunities to learn, progress and make a real difference. Don’t be put off by stereotypes – engineering is for anyone who enjoys solving problems, being creative and wanting to be part of something bigger. Be curious, ask questions and believe in your abilities, because there is a place for everyone in engineering.”

Leia Sunter, Junior CAD/CAM Technician, Engineering Team

“I have been at Hydram for almost five years. I started on a three-year Level 3 Apprenticeship pathway, rotating between different sections within the factory.

“Once I qualified, I moved into the Engineering Team and have since started a Degree Apprenticeship.

“Growing up, my experience of engineering was primarily my Grandad tinkering away in his garage, making ideas come to life with a pile of scrap metal and a stick welder.

“Then when I was 12, I saw a documentary about the McLaren Factory on TV. I remember being fascinated by the level of detail and precision they were working to, it really resonated with me.

“The documentary also featured a young female engineer; it was the first time I had seen someone ‘like me’ in and engineering environment. I have always been quite practical and curious about how and why things work, but I hadn’t considered engineering as a potential career option until that moment. It was then that I decided that was what I was going to do.

“I have been incredibly lucky to have had a lot of supportive teachers and mentors throughout school, college and as I started my career. It would be impossible to pick one above the rest as they have all helped guide me to where I am today and have provided great advice. One of which is, which I like to share with others, ‘to do what you are good at, but most importantly, do what you enjoy’.

“Engineering is such a vast discipline and therefore engineering roles can vary from being broad to very niche and specific. So, it can be helpful to identify which part of engineering appeals to you the most. For me, through the opportunities I’ve had, it’s design and CAD modelling.

“I think one of the biggest misconceptions about engineering is that it’s all about engines and vehicles and that you need to be interested in cars. This is not true. Whilst engineering is widely associated with the automotive, rail and aerospace sectors, you can be an engineer in pretty much every industry you can think of. Civil and structural engineers deal with buildings, bridges, roads and other infrastructure. Software engineers create computer systems and programmes. Chemical engineers can work with pharmaceuticals, food, oil and gas or creating materials and chemicals. Electrical engineers work with electrical systems and equipment, from the simplest circuits to complex machinery or working on the National Grid – see it really is vast.”

Natasha McLaren, third-year Level 3 Metal Fabrications Apprentice 

“Owing to the variety of roles and opportunities, I was interested in an engineering career and I enjoy learning about the different sections of engineering through my apprenticeship.

“Hydram’s welding supervisors, Jamie and Dave, have helped me develop my skills in welding which has allowed me to improve and become more knowledgeable in this skill. So much so, that I was recently awarded runner-up Practical Welder at The Welding Institute’s annual dinner and awards.

“I’ve found a big misconception about engineering is that you won’t develop skills you can use day to day. I have learnt skills throughout my apprenticeship that I use all the time, even for simple tasks, that I may not have learnt without doing this apprenticeship.

“For anyone considering a role in engineering or similar, I’d say keep working hard and stay engaged in every task you do. Even if it is something simple, as all the hard work will pay off even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time.”

Lily Scott, first year Level 3 Metal Fabrication Apprentice

“I started my Level 3 Metal Fabrications Apprenticeship with Hydram in September 2025. I have always been interested in design and engineering through school and I have always liked figuring out how things work and fixing problems.

“Before I started my apprenticeship, I was working with a family friend on building work and he also welded and had a lot of vehicles that he would work on. I was therefore exposed to some of the engineering he did, which made me interested to learn more and from that point I decided I wanted to gain qualifications in this area.

“I’ve found that one of the biggest misconceptions is that engineering is all on a huge scale. Through my apprenticeship I have learnt that there are so many small parts that go into engineering before anything else.

“Advice I would give to others would be, don’t be intimidated about going into engineering because it can lead to so many different types of jobs. And especially if you go down the apprenticeship route, you learn so much about every process that you take with you as you progress. I’ve been able to start from the ground up and the team here have all been so supportive.”

We currently have a number of open vacancies, so if you would like to develop your career in a company that champions its employees and provides opportunities for growth – check these out.