IWD 2025

Posted March 12th 2025

IWD - What it's all about 

International Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of March every year and is an opportunity for us all to acknowledge and recognise the importance of gender equality, challenging stereotypes and achieving equal rights, power, and opportunities for all.

IWD is not just about posting a picture of the women within our organisations it’s about showcasing how they are making a difference and how this translates to future generations.

The role of social media in IWD is to create content that makes a young woman think “Look at her, she’s leading the way in mechanical engineering/welding/process analysis, I want to be like her.”

This is why we were delighted to be invited to the Trailblazers: Women Shaping Engineering & Manufacturing event hosted by the University of Bradford.

Trailblazers Event

Manufacturing and Engineering is a stereotypically male dominated industry and events such as these are helping to challenge those stereotypes and encourage more females to consider a career in this sector.

As part of the event, an inspirational panel of female engineers took part in a Q&A session focusing on their journey and experiences, offering advice and tips for a room of over 100 Key Stage 4 girls from local schools. The host then opened up the floor for questions from the students, and it was amazing to see so many hands raised with questions and queries for the panel.

Our very own Alisha Bell, was on the panel to explain how she became ERP Analyst at Byworth and the obstacles and challenges she has encountered in her career. From struggles with traditional academic teaching methods, to finding her feet in various positions, Alisha was honest and truthful about her journey, explaining that the path to success is not always linear.

Challenging Stereotypes

Schools are doing a lot to challenge gender role stereotypes and encourage gender equality, but, are they doing enough to ensure the message is spread, not only to pupils but also to their families and support networks?

Some women, especially those from certain backgrounds are expected to follow a particular career path. One woman on the panel explained how she was lead towards a career in Healthcare as this is what was expected of her. She only managed three months before concluding that healthcare was NOT for her. Her brothers were all mechanical engineers and she wanted to follow that path and yet because she was a woman she had been encouraged to pursue a career that didn’t suit her, she didn’t enjoy, and she was destined to fail at.

Top Tips from the Panel

After hearing about the career path of each woman on the panel, they were then asked to provide one piece of advise for the young women aspiring towards a role in engineering and manufacturing.

These tips deserved to be shared with any young woman looking for inspiration.  

•              “You don’t always plan your career, you sometimes just fall into it”

•              “If you feel you are on the wrong path it’s ok to say “This isn’t for me” and change direction”

•              “Do your research. There are so many different paths that it can be very over whelming”

•              “Do what you want for you, not anyone else”

•              “See everything as an opportunity and embrace it”

•              “Focus on key transferable skills such as maths and science and you will have a good foundation of learning”

•              “Don’t let anyone tell you no”

•              “You are good at what you enjoy and you enjoy what you are good at”

Looking to the future

The "Trailblazers: Women Shaping Engineering & Manufacturing" event, and initiatives like it, are crucial steps in dismantling the outdated stereotypes that have long hindered women's participation in these vital industries.

By showcasing the real, diverse, and inspiring journeys of women like Alisha, we're not just celebrating International Women's Day, but actively fostering a future where gender equality is the norm. The powerful advice shared by the panellist’s emphasises adaptability, self-determination, and the pursuit of passion which resonates far beyond the walls of the event, offering invaluable guidance to young women everywhere.

If we truly want to see more women thriving in engineering and manufacturing, it's going to take all of us, schools, companies, and families. Everyone needs to play a part in breaking down these barriers and ensuring that young women feel empowered to follow in the footsteps of these incredible women who are well and truly shaping the future in engineering and manufacturing.