TWO senior engineers at Network Rail have encouraged girls to follow in their footsteps and pursue careers in engineering.

It follows a celebratory International Women in Engineering Day at London Waterloo station attended by MP?John Hayes, Minister of State at the Department for Transport.

Held last Friday and organised by the Women’s Engineering Society, the awareness day aimed to raise the profile and achievements of women in the industry.

All over the country, Network Rail’s female engineers are sharing their passion for the railway with girls and young women, and encouraging them to consider engineering as a career path, challenging the outdated perception that engineering is not a career choice for young women.

The Transport Minister met with seven engineers working across a number of Network Rail projects to find out about their experiences in the industry and what could be done across the sector to encourage more women to pursue engineering roles.

Mr Hayes said: “At a time when we need more skills to make our transport infrastructure the best in the world, just 12 per cent of people in the UK engineering industry are women. This is unacceptable and means we are missing so much talent and so much potential in this crucial field.

“So to meet women who are so enthusiastic about their careers in the transport industry is as inspiring as it is meaningful. Female engineers can and will play a vital role as we deliver unprecedented investment in transport infrastructure over the coming years.

“I am determined to draw on female talent in the transport sector because it is right to attract the best and brightest people. We need more high-calibre women to join, and I encourage young women to rise to this challenge; to choose an exciting career in engineering. They will build Britain’s future.”