This International Women in Engineering Day, we’re celebrating the incredible women who keep school networks strong. For us, engineering is about more than wires and servers – it's about creating a resilient foundation so teachers can teach and learners can learn.
True equity means moving beyond recognition. It’s about ensuring that our teams, workflows and systems provide everyone with the specific support they need to achieve their best.
Sarah Solerti, a Senior Tech Engineer at RM, shares her views on what equity means in practice:
As a Mum, equity is all about having the opportunity to do what I want in my home life – raising children – while being offered the same opportunities as everybody else at work. And we can’t be blind to the fact that the hurdles to achieving this are much more prominent for men than women. Historically, the lion share of childcare is placed on women, meaning they need to stay at home more than men, or it’s simply assumed they should stay at home – both of which can have a negative effect. I can say that, from experience, the technology sector in particular tends to be dominated by men – making it a really intimidating space."
"But there are things that organisations can do to combat those mental and physical blockers for women. For instance, it’s crucial that organisations offer flexibility in days and hours worked to make job roles suitable for women – or men – with children. Translating that to equity means representing the underrepresented. The topic of flexibility needs to be a constant. Women need to be as equally present in the workforce, and in senior positions too, no matter whether that makes them present in the office 9 to 5. This offers a diversity of perspectives that’s important in any business, because ultimately, the people we’re selling to, working with or for will be diverse too."
"And it’s good for general morale. When women can succeed in their careers, this boosts morale amongst women that are just starting out in their careers. They have someone to look up to and it makes the workplace feel less intimidating. And flexibility is important because we also need to make space for more female role models. As it stands, if you ask someone about some of the most impressionable keynotes from business leaders, they’ll name Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. The more we work towards greater equity and flexibility, the faster we’ll create more business and tech female inspirations for younger females to look up to – and that can only have a positive impact.
Whether you’re a woman in the field, or an ally supporting the next generation of talent, today is a reminder that the strongest structures are those we maintain together.
Together, let’s ensure that the future of engineering is accessible to everyone.
