Gender parity in the workforce is an ongoing battle.
In no other industry is this truer than Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Over one million women work in STEM fields – but that’s still just 29% of the workforce.
Charlotte Gregory, Head of Sustainability at SMS, is a paragon of the value women bring to STEM jobs and how, when they go after what they’re passionate about, women can break down barriers and flourish in this male-dominated sphere.
Charlotte’s top three life lessons for succeeding in STEM
Charlotte’s journey from being the only female engineering student at college to a driving force in energy sustainability shows that when women are empowered to seize opportunities, they unlock rewarding careers – even if the odds are against them.
Her success comes from her commitment to following her passions and keeping her finger on the pulse. For example, when she saw an opportunity to step into a sustainability role, she augmented her engineering background with a sustainability and business diploma so that she was ready to fill the gap.
Charlotte’s story emphasises the importance for women to persist in male-centric fields. Here are some key lessons Charlotte learnt along the way.
1. Have the confidence to pursue your passion
Studies show that women in STEM are less confident than men, hindering their willingness to take risks and showcase their abilities.
Charlotte’s passion helped her overcome this and leverage her unique strengths into new opportunities. Her zeal for engineering gave her the confidence to enrol in a male-dominated course. Meanwhile, her passion for sustainability led her to enhance her skills, become the first sustainability engineer at Mira Showers and get on the path towards driving meaningful change in the energy industry.
Charlotte is an advocate for always going after what you love and keeping a laser-focus on your goals. She simultaneously urges women to reject the rhetoric that they’re ‘brave’ for walking a male-dominted path, and instead recognize their equal intelligence and competence.
2. The importance of having a supportive mentor
Mentors are crucial for building confidence in women. For Charlotte, this person was her manager at Mira, who supported her ideas and showed her how to aim high, ask the right questions and follow her ambition.
Through development sessions, Charlotte broke out of the ‘I don’t know how to do this’ mindset and became empowered to carve out her career trajectory.
It’s pivotal for STEM companies to provide female role models, demonstrated by the 73% of women who are inspired by them. SMS employs 457+ women, with 27 in senior roles. But the low percentage of women in STEM means every business must do more to close the gender gap and celebrate women’s success in order to inspire confidence in up-and-coming female talent.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask – a ‘no’ isn’t always a no
This is one of Charlotte’s most valuable lessons. The fear of rejection impedes success; if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Charlotte’s ‘don’t be afraid to ask’ mentality allowed her to push boundaries. It led to a renewable energy company creating a role just for her. It allowed her to sharpen her sustainability focus and deliver enhanced value to Mira. It also shaped her career at SMS, where she continues to ask questions that drive successful, sustainability-driven outcomes.
Remember that ‘no’ doesn’t mean no – it’s just a redirection. By asking the right questions, you create your own opportunities and move the needle, which makes things a little easier for the next generation.
The chance to be part of something bigger
Vast and exciting opportunities await women in STEM careers, especially in the sustainable energy industry and its charge towards a Net Zero future.
At SMS, Charlotte’s blend of engineering and sustainability is part of a widr organisation spearheading innovations in EV charging, smart metering solutions, and battery storage. Such advancements are pivotal in the UK’s Net Zero journey, empowering women to make meaningful contributions in their career.
But to get them there, we need more initiatives. Lack of understanding (14.6%) and self-doubt (47.5%) are the top reasons why young girls don’t study STEM. This highlights the need for schemes like SMS’s school and university volunteering programme, which engages young students and piques their interests early.
By gaining early exposure to the possibilities of STEM careers, a new generation of women can feel inspired to follow their passions, enter the workforce and drive meaningful change by bringing new perspectives to the table.
