As part of our International Women’s Day series, our female staff offer real-world insights into their careers in STEM, from university to now. We acknowledge the positive changes happening for women in STEM and consider what is needed to continue to balance the scales.
Meet our Women in STEM representatives:
Debora Ferreira – CADD Technician
Years in STEM – 5
Elaine Fisher – National Business Support Manager
Years in STEM – 26
Karina Cruz – Quality Assurance (CQA) Site Engineer
Years in STEM – 26
Luisa Luengas – Principal Engineer/ Victorian Operations Coordinator
Years in STEM – 17
Dr Melissa Salt – Senior Principal Scientist
Years in STEM – 34
Ranjana Paudel – Undergraduate Engineer (Civil Engineering)
Years in STEM – 1
How many women were in your university cohort?
Ranjana: Last year, studying on the Sunshine Coast, there were 10-12 girls in most classes, but in Concrete Design, there were only 5 out of about 25 in a class. When I did a town planning minor, the class was mostly girls, though.
Luisa: I moved from Colombia to study engineering at RMIT in Melbourne in 2007. From memory, there was around ten women out of a cohort of 200, so under 5%. The cultural difference was also a challenge at times, but I always felt included and encouraged to lead group assignments. Over the four years, more of the men quit studying than women did, which I found interesting.
Karina: Ninety of us entered the university in 2000, of which only ten were women. It was a wonderful experience to overcome challenges step by step and pass our courses. I formed strong bonds of friendship and respect with my university classmates.
Melissa: There was about a 50/50 cohort of women and men at university because I did Agricultural Science, and that course was a second preference for those who didn’t get a spot in Veterinary Science.
Since 2020, the proportion of STEM enrolments from women has remained stable at 37%. This is higher than in 2015, when the proportion of STEM enrolments from women was 34%.
Source: STEM Equity Monitor
How this compares:
What was female representation like in your early career compared to now?
Elaine: In 2000, when I started as the receptionist, I was a young mum, and there was a sense that they were taking a risk with me and whether I would be reliable enough. There was no maternity leave either, so I had to take sick leave to give birth to my second child. When I returned to work, I would bring my baby to work with me until he could start creche. Now we have hybrid work, paternity leave, and better pay. Seeing more women join ATC Williams over the years shows that there is an improved level of respect here for women in STEM roles.
Luisa: I find that I am meeting with female clients more often now, but in internal project meetings, I will often be the only woman. My approach has been to accept that the career is male-dominated, and it will always be a challenge. That’s how it is until we can change it.
Karina: In the last ten years in Peru, the number of women in the mining sector has generally increased in key management positions, along with better pay parity based on their qualifications. However, I’m the only woman in over 95% of my daily meetings.
Melissa: I find that more often I am meeting with other women in client leadership roles, where it used to be only men in those roles. My experience has often been that men will tend to doubt you to begin with, but once you’ve proven that you can do the job, you’ve earned that respect for life.
How do we increase opportunities for women in STEM?
Luisa: We are told that opportunities are based on merit, but women do not get the merit if they are not given the opportunity. As an example, women need to be provided with opportunities to feel comfortable on-site, or it can feel intimidating, overwhelming and negating. This has a snowball effect on women getting enough career experience for leadership positions. Therefore, women often must work harder to prove that we can do an even better job. Once we’ve passed that hurdle and proven ourselves, it gets easier. It’s about hard work and passion.
Karina: It’s important that women are present in all areas of engineering, technology, and science. Education, starting in school, also plays a crucial role in guiding women and helping them understand that they can study careers that are commonly associated with men. They also deserve the freedom to choose motherhood and dedicate time to their children, a career path that is not highly valued.
Debora: You need a workplace culture that ensures respect. Having human resources channels in place is essential to feeling safe at work for many women. I am grateful to have that here at ATCW.
Elaine: Continued progress relies on building on current momentum and ensuring ongoing support for women in STEM. While supporting undergraduate involvement is important, there is also a need to increase female representation in areas such as project management, design, and laboratory roles. Fostering diversity and inclusion in these key positions will help create a more balanced environment within organisations like ATCW.
What career advice would you give your younger self?
Melissa: One, trust in your gut. Two, be true to yourself. If it feels right, it probably is. If it doesn’t, then speak up and if you can’t change it, then leave. Something my grandfather would often say is ‘When one door closes, another opens, and if it doesn’t, kick it down’.
Ranjana: When life feels difficult, remind yourself why you chose to leave Nepal and come to Australia to study. You didn’t come this far for comfort, you came for growth, for a better future, and to make your family proud. Every struggle you face today is part of the journey you once dreamed about. Stay strong, stay patient, and keep moving forward. One day, all this hard work will make sense, and you will be proud that you didn’t give up.
Debora: Your success won’t make you more worthy, and your failures won’t make you less worthy. It’s okay to speak up and request changes that will benefit you. Also, you do a better job than what you give yourself credit for.
Karina: Be persistent and persevere, study hard, improve your soft communication skills, develop your emotional intelligence, and don’t give up. You’ve already achieved a lot over the years, and you have many more goals to accomplish.
Want to hear more about Women in STEM?
Watch our Women in STEM Scorecard Video here.