Walking into CIBC Hall earlier this month for the annual Women in Engineering night, I was immediately struck by the atmosphere of camaraderie and empowerment. The room buzzed with conversations that weren’t just about career trajectories but about lived experiences and the collective drive to reshape engineering spaces to make them more inclusive. Throughout the evening, five key themes stood out – each a testament to the strength of women in this field and a call to action for the future.
- The power of community and support networks
The strongest messages of the night emphasized the importance of peer support, mentorship programs and professional development opportunities at all stages of one’s career journey. As highlighted at the beginning of the event by Stephanie Harper – the Associate Director for the Centre for Career Growth and Experience – career empowerment isn’t just about securing jobs; it’s about creating a future where students and professionals alike feel connected, respected and equipped to navigate their unique journeys.
As a fellow woman in engineering, this resonates deeply with me. In my own experience at Mac Eng over the past five years, knowing that I have a network of people who believe in my capabilities has been instrumental in overcoming the self-doubt that plagues almost every engineering student.
- Mentorship and role models are essential pillars of career empowerment
The impact of representation cannot be overstated. Selina Hiebert, a Mission Operations Engineer at MDA Space and a distinguished panellist at the event, shared that 40% of the women who graduate with a degree in STEM do not actually end up working in STEM or STEM related fields. This underscores the urgency of fostering inclusivity and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their gender, race or sexuality, feel heard. The presence of women and individuals from other marginalized groups in leadership roles changes this dynamic.
Kerianne Hagan – an Engineering Intern with Crozier Consulting Engineers – shared her co-op experience that illustrated this beautifully. She was the first woman in her role and often the only woman on-site but thanks to the unwavering support of her supervisors and colleagues, she was treated as an equal. After the conclusion of her co-op term, seeing another woman step into her position reinforced the importance of visibility within the field. By actively normalizing the presence of women in engineering, companies like Crozier are ensuring that the inclusion of women is no longer an anomaly but an expectation.
For me, seeing women thrive in engineering reaffirms that I, too, belong here, and so do many others.
- Overcoming self-doubt and embracing confidence takes time and risk-taking
Throughout the course of the panel discussion, one term was frequently repeated: impostor syndrome. As the discussion wrapped up, it became evident that no matter how many years of experience someone has, that voice of self-doubt often lingers in the back of our minds.
A particularly striking statistic was mentioned by Dresden Huston, Senior Director of Supply Chain at PepsiCo. She said that women tend to apply for jobs only when they meet 100% of the criteria whereas men apply when they meet around 60%. This discrepancy highlights the need for women to challenge their own perceptions of readiness. This discussion was a wake-up call for everyone in attendance to lean into discomfort, take risks and trust in their abilities rather than waiting for arbitrary levels of perfection.
- Find a workplace culture where women are in valued leadership roles
The conversation around workplace culture emphasized that inclusivity isn’t just about hiring women – it’s about making sure they are valued, heard and given equal opportunities to lead. Selina from MDA Space recounted an experience when she was the only woman in a meeting with male colleagues who questioned her expertise. These microaggressions having lasting effects. Companies that prioritize gender diversity in leadership, like those present at the event – MDA Space, Crozier and PepsiCo – set a standard for the industry.
For me, this reinforced the importance of advocating for a work culture where respect and recognition are non-negotiable. It’s not just about being present in the room, it’s about making sure every voice in that room holds weight.
- Women need to keep pushing boundaries to see positive change
The event closed with a powerful reflection: every career path is unique and success does not follow a straight line. What matters is that women in engineering continue to take up space, support one another and redefine what leadership looks like.
It left me thinking about my own role in this narrative. How can I contribute to making engineering a more inclusive space? How can I support those who come after me? The answer lies in both individual and collective action. To me this looks like mentoring students, advocating for workplace policies that foster equity and most importantly, believing in my own potential.
The women in engineering industry networking night were a reminder that while progress has been made, the work is far from over. Each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of engineering, whether through mentorship, advocacy or simply showing up and taking our seat at the table.
To all the women in engineering: keep pushing boundaries, keep lifting each other up, and never doubt that you belong, because we do. And together, we are changing the landscape of this industry for good.
