International Women in Engineering Day is an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry. It celebrates the outstanding achievements of women engineers throughout the world and gives companies like us a chance to highlight the awesome ladies we have on our team and celebrate the role they take in the engineering industry.

According to a study done by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2019, only 15.7% of workers in architecture and engineering jobs were women. Out of all engineering fields, civil engineering was the third lowest engineering degree (2017-2018, Ohio University), with only 25% of these degrees being awarded to women.

Carpenter Marty Transportation is celebrating International Women in Engineering Day by highlighting our female engineers and their stories and advice for young girls curious about a career in this industry.

Gina Balsamo, who joined our team in 2015, spoke to how she continues to learn and grow in the engineering field. “I try to stay engaged when I attend conferences and online webinars, making sure to share the information I learned with my co-workers when I get back to the office. I also enjoy reading in my free time, so I try to pick up nonfiction books that could help translate into my work-life.” When asked what advice she had to young girls looking to pursue the industry, she said, “Cliché answer but, lean in! Say what’s on your mind and don’t doubt yourself.”

Chelsea Cousins discussed what she enjoys most about her career in engineering. “I love the problem-solving aspect. Every project is unique and requires a slightly different approach. It’s a great feeling when you are able to come up with something a little out-of-the-box and get to see it being used.”

Carpenter Marty Transportation serves as a corporate sponsor to the WTS Columbus Chapter. One of their many programs geared toward advancing women in transportation is their “TransportationYou” program. The program offers young girls (ages of 13-18) an introduction to a wide variety of transportation careers.  They do this through demonstrations, mentorships, field trips, and hands-on opportunities.  The goal of the program is to inspire girls to take Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses and explore a career in transportation.

Leiana Yates said her interest in engineering was sparked in high school. “My high school offered a 2-year Pre-Engineering course that covered a range of engineering disciplines. I enjoyed the level of problem-solving that went into the activities in class and ended up enrolling in Civil Engineering in college because of it.”

Organizations, like Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN), have taken initiative by developing mentorship programs.  The Society of Women Engineers boasts itself as a “driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women.”  There are even websites, like Engineergirl.org, that are designed to appeal to children and all they could possibly want to know about engineering. All this effort is to educate and break the gender stereotype.

Jessica Vanaman, a recent addition to our team, offered advice for women looking to pursue a career in engineering. “Work hard and remember there will always be someone who is smarter and/or has more experience than you. That’s okay. With hard work and some (a lot) of patience you will gain that knowledge and experience over time.”