The Future Water team were proud to take part in the ‘Strong Women, Bright Future Conference’ at Park Community. It was a truly special and inspiring event.
Nearly 300 Year 6 and Year 7 girls attended the conference, learning about the wide range of STEM careers and opportunities available in industries that have traditionally been male-dominated. It was fascinating to hear about the variety of careers and the incredible work being done across the sector.
It was also incredibly encouraging to see how engaged the girls were listening, asking thoughtful questions, and beginning to realise that these careers are not only achievable but realistic, especially when they could speak directly with strong women already working in these roles.
At Future Water, we are passionate about highlighting the many roles within the construction industry and ensuring young people hear directly from those working in it today. We were delighted to bring along representatives from the younger generation, including our Civil Engineer Apprentice, Esther, and Lucy Verrinder, Site Engineer for CECA Next Generation. The girls were able to hear first-hand what it’s like to be a young woman working in construction.
We were also joined by Cristina, a Senior Geotechnical Engineer from Coffey, who sparked lots of interest from the students with the different rocks she brought along to demonstrate the fascinating world of geotechnical engineering.
One question that really stood out from the students was:
“Do you feel that because you are a woman, you get listened to when working in construction?”
Our answer was simple. At Future Water, we are listened to because our voices matter just as much as anyone else’s, and we feel valued and invested in. We can see that the construction industry is changing, but there is still more that can be done. That is why conferences like this are so important for both the construction industry and the wider STEM world.
A highlight of the day was listening to the inspiring keynote speaker, Prof Dr Anusha Shah, who shared her career journey and the experiences that have shaped her path in engineering.
It was an honour to be part of this event, which would not have been possible without Ella Capaldi for coordinating and hosting the conference at Park Community. Many amazing women and organisations also gave up their time to support the day, including Portsmouth Water, Ward and Burke, CETC, and many other incredible women and companies helping to inspire the next generation.
Events like this help show young people what’s possible and inspire the next generation of women in STEM. We look forward to taking part in many more events like this to continue encouraging the next generation into both STEM and the construction industry.