Despite strides in gender diversity, women remain underrepresented in engineering, with only 28% of engineering graduates worldwide being female¹ and just 11% of mechanical engineers in the U.S. identifying as women.² 
At AZO, we’re committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees can thrive. In recognition of International Women’s Day, we sat down with three inspiring female professionals at AZO to explore their career journeys, the challenges they've overcome, and get their advice for the next generation of female engineers.

 

Griselda Matos Project Lead	Victoria Lwamba Associate Engineer	Núria Llobet Business Development

Q. What has your experience been like at AZO so far?

Griselda: I have an engineering management degree and started as an intern. I really liked what I was doing and ended up interviewing for a full-time position and got hired. Now I’ve been here for eight years. It’s not very common in this age to have one job for this long — people tend to jump around — but I’m here because of the program Victoria is in right now.

Victoria: I was recently hired and I'm part of the Engineering Development Program. The idea is to spend time in different departments to gain an overall understanding of how the company works. I’m currently in project engineering doing CAD work, then I’ll be in applications, sales and customer service. Toward the end of the development program, we can choose a certain department we’d like to work in full-time.

Núria: As a business development professional, I work as a liaison between the sales engineers and marketing team and I’ve been here for a year and a half. At AZO I like the engineering side of things, and learning how things work, asking a lot of questions on the why, what, and how.

Q. What are the challenges women face within your field?

Núria: Being a woman often means having to be adaptable in different work environments. At AZO, I’ve learned how to speak differently to clients, coworkers and customers, which is important for my job. It helps me come out of my comfort zone, which I think is a common challenge women face.

Victoria: Nobody at my high school talked about diverse job opportunities for women — engineering wasn’t mentioned. I did my own research and ended up shadowing a woman at a medical device company and then learned about various engineering classifications. After that, I went to school for mechanical engineering and back for my masters in engineering management. So I’d say not having representation makes the path to becoming an engineer more difficult.

Griselda: I agree. We’ve stayed in close contact with the university that all three of us graduated from, and I’m giving a lunch and learn presentation to share the day-to-day work of a mechanical engineer. It’s like what Victoria said, when you don’t have role models, it’s hard to envision yourself in that job.

Q. How does AZO support you in the workplace?

Victoria: During the interview process, AZO was very welcoming. We have an open door policy and are encouraged to ask questions. In previous jobs, I hesitated to ask questions because I didn’t want to seem like I didn’t know what I was doing. But here, questions are encouraged which helps me grow as an engineer and do my work more efficiently.

Griselda: Engineering is a male-dominant industry, but at AZO I am always encouraged to develop myself both personally and professionally. They offer a platform where you can take continuing education courses. I even attended a public speaking course to push me out of my comfort zone.

I learned from our General Manager Casey King that you don't have to be the loudest in the room, but you should speak up. Don’t be afraid to use your voice confidently. AZO is a family-owned business that originated in Germany, and that culture has been passed along to our office in the U.S. Even when I just started, I was asked for my opinion on how to improve things. That made me feel valued right away.

Núria: AZO gives me the freedom to develop new ways of doing things and find my own approach instead of just sticking to the current process. I like how having the liberty to try different methods allows for innovation and continuous improvement.

Q. What advice would you give to women starting their careers in engineering?

Núria: Networking is really important because it opens doors. In my MBA, I asked a professor I liked for help getting a job. She helped look over my resume when I was applying. She just did it because she was interested in helping me. Looking for those genuine connections because asking other women for help can go a long way.

Griselda: Yes! Surround yourself with fellow women engineers like the Society of Women Engineers club. Don’t be afraid to start networking early and ask as many questions as possible about the career. 

Victoria: And don’t be afraid to try something just because you don't see someone that looks like you doing it. For example, no one in my family is an engineer and I didn’t know any women engineers until late in high school. Maybe you’ll be the person that a woman can look up to one day and know that engineering is possible for them. Be the representation you want to see.

Sources:
1. UNESCO
2. Society of Women Engineers