Paige Edwards – Streetworks Compliance Engineer at Giganet is leading the way for more women in civil engineering roles,
For our Women In Tech blog this week, Paige Edwards, a Streetworks Compliance Engineer on our Network Build team, tells us how she got into civil engineering, and her commitment to changing female stereotypes out in the field.
If you’re female and working in a civil engineering environment, you’ll be familiar with that well-documented feeling of being the only woman in the team. Even in organisations that are supportive of more women finding their place in the industry, female engineers can still find themselves in the minority. Fortunately, that’s changing at Giganet, where many women have taken up positions in previously male-dominated departments with minds set on opening the door for more.
Changing stereotypes out in the field
“I have been on the ground with Giganet for over 12 months, and currently work as a Streetworks Compliance Engineer. My day-to-day responsibilities include working out in the field, auditing live sites, and inspecting the quality of reinstatement works on our fibre network build projects. It’s demanding and extremely detail-orientated, but I love the challenge!”
Getting into the industry
“I was lucky enough to have secured a trainee civil supervisor role at my previous employer, and I benefitted from some top-class training and development, which is a practical and immersive route into the industry. Of course, there are so many fantastic routes into this type of profession, but in my opinion, you cannot replicate on-the-job experience as a way of gaining the knowledge and experience to progress.”
More female role models
As you can imagine, fewer female role models exist in civil engineering and telecoms, meaning, fewer women feel encouraged to pursue a career in this profession, possibly due to feeling underrepresented. I hope this article helps give women in civil engineering more exposure and plays a part in challenging perceptions. Part of creating a more inclusive culture is calling counter-inclusive practices. This is something men also need to do, which I’d hope will not only attract, but retain talent from underrepresented groups.
I have noticed more and more women entering this type of work environment every year, likely because it’s such a vibrant, exciting, and fulfilling career. No two days are the same. I am passionate about promoting and inspiring more females into civil engineering roles, many will have no idea of the career that could be waiting for them! We need people from all walks of life to provide fresh perspectives and open channels to more talent. In turn, this shift will benefit our industry over the short and long term.
An engineering role within telecoms is so rewarding. We can shape outcomes, find solutions to some of the biggest problems facing the industry, and finally, work to change stereotypes along the way.
Where to next?
If you’re keen on making career steps into telecoms, or in any discipline of our business, you’re in luck! We have loads of roles available and would love to hear from you.
Please visit the Giganet careers page to learn more about our workplace culture and employee benefits system. You’ll also be able to view all our latest job vacancies and register your CV for upcoming roles.
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