Celebrating Engineers Week: Introducing Girls to Engineering at RETTEW
RETTEW is proud to celebrate Engineers Week, a time dedicated to recognizing the incredible contributions of engineers and inspiring the next generation of innovators. This year, we are especially excited about “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day,” which takes place on Thursday during every Engineers Week. This special day aims to encourage young girls to explore the world of engineering and consider it as a potential career path.
To mark this occasion, we sat down with two of our talented female engineers to learn more about their journeys, challenges, and triumphs in the field of engineering. We hope these stories inspire young girls to explore the exciting world of engineering.
Frances Schoenfeldt, Municipal Engineer
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
From a young age, I was captivated by the wonders of the STEM field, particularly math and science. The intricate patterns of numbers and the laws governing the natural world piqued my curiosity. I often found myself pondering how things worked, whether it was the mechanics behind a simple toy or the phenomena surrounding me in nature. This innate curiosity drove me to ask countless questions, seeking to understand the underlying principles of everything I encountered. As I matured, it became increasingly clear that my strengths aligned with engineering. I developed a passion for problem-solving and innovation, realizing that the skills I was cultivating could lead to exciting opportunities in designing and creating solutions. The idea of contributing to fields such as renewable energy, water engineering, or traffic engineering filled me with enthusiasm and determination to explore the vast possibilities that lay ahead in my educational and career journey.
What challenges have you faced as a female engineer, and how have you overcome them?
To be honest, I haven’t encountered significant challenges in my journey as a female engineer. While I acknowledge being in a male-dominated field can be somewhat intimidating at times, my experiences during internships and my current full-time position have been overwhelmingly positive. Throughout these experiences, I’ve always been treated as an equal among my peers, which has greatly boosted my confidence. However, when I do start to doubt my capabilities, I find myself reflecting on the Order of Engineer ring I received at my graduation. That ring is more than just a piece of jewelry I wear every day; it symbolizes the hard work and dedication I put into earning my degree. Plus, it serves as a constant reminder that I successfully completed a rigorous engineering program and that I am fully capable of accomplishing engineering tasks just like anyone else in the field. This reassurance allows me to push through any self-doubt and continue growing in my career.
What advice would you give to young girls interested in engineering?
My advice is to never underestimate your abilities. It can be discouraging when a task proves difficult or requires more effort than anticipated. However, this merely indicates that you are in an advantageous environment where there is still much for you to learn, and that’s completely okay. Remember, experience cannot be rushed; with time, you’ll progress and become more like those you admire.
Allison Garner, Municipal Engineer
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
I always had a love for the environment, but I didn’t know I could make a career out of it until I took a test to help me determine what a good career could be. Engineering was not discussed in high school. After taking the test on what I should go to college for, I enrolled in the Environmental Engineering Program at Penn State Harrisburg.
What challenges have you faced as a female engineer, and how have you overcome them?
While I was still at Penn State, I had to repeatedly defend my abilities to male classmates. They would often discuss that women would get the job over a man because of the way she looked. Today, in a professional capacity, I sometimes find it hard to be confident with my male colleagues. Although it isn’t often, I am always reminding myself that I deserve to be here.
What advice would you give to young girls interested in engineering?
First, I would tell them to learn about the different areas of engineering and how those play into the real world. Second, I would tell them to be confident in themselves, push through the noise, and never be afraid to ask for help! I owe a lot of my success to teachers and mentors at school. The last bit of advice would be to never settle and never be silenced.
