FUTURE WORKFORCE AND STEM
Apprenticeship Ambassador. As well as speaking in schools and colleges, I have also sat on expert panels, and helped young people with their confidence and employability, as well as their career choices.
“I am passionate about engineering, and aim to be a visible positive role model to others considering the possibility of joining an engineering field in the future. I am pleased to say I am on the WES50 and Northern Power Women Future Lists. For very many years now, I have been heavily involved with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and I am currently the Teesside Branch Chair and North East Vice-Chair. I sit on the Editorial Panel for the ICE Publishing’s flagship title, ICE Proceedings: Civil Engineering. I also encourage others to achieve their best as a mentor, both inside and outside of Sir Robert McAlpine, and am a qualified ICE Reviewer.
How diversity can truly work “I founded, and chair, Engineering Together, which led to this great collaborative project with IHEEM. This group is showing how diversity can truly work with the right focus and heavy dose of optimism. This has huge potential to make real change; we are challenging the traditional in a positive way.”
Monira Kaouech went on to explain that one of Engineering Together’s strategic goals is to look to attract the next generation into STEM careers. She said: “When we at IHEEM Head Office were first emailed by Paul McMahon, we had a productive conference call where were put our heads together about the opportunity for a potential few days of workshops up in the north-east. She has quite a few connections in schools in the area, and suggested I come up for week, and conduct a series of such events.” Also involved in the planning of the ‘Collaboration, Diversity, and STEM Week’ in the north-east of England were: n Jackie Dixon Daley, an Associate Director of Faithful+Gould, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, STEM Ambassador, and an Enterprise adviser for Tees Valley. Professionally, she is Service Director for the delivery of Regional Project Controls Services to Highways England on highway improvement schemes throughout the Yorkshire and North East Region. She is also chair of Stockton Ambassadors (STEM, volunteering, charity, careers fairs, work experience, T-levels). She said: “I am passionate about showing the next generation the fantastic opportunities available in the world of work through STEM subjects. I have been in construction for over 30 years, and have had some incredible experiences travelling worldwide. My sole aim is to encourage as many
40 Health Estate Journal May 2020
Monira Kaouech helping students with the quiz at Saltburn Learning Campus.
students as possible into STEM careers, especially girls, to help redress the current gender imbalance.”
n Dr Jo Douglas-Harris, a Vice-President, Non-Executive Director, and Trustee, of the Women’s Engineering Society. Dr Douglas-Harris is a Product and Applications Scientist at global chemical company, Venator, specialising in the development of titanium dioxide pigments for inks. Prior to taking up the Venator role, she worked for British Sugar as a Process Scientist, as well as completing a degree in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath. Her PhD was sponsored by Unilever, and focused on researching fabric cleaning and laundry detergents. An active volunteer with the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), she was elected Vice-President in October 2019, having begun volunteering with WES when she founded WESBath, the University of Bath Student Women’s Engineering Society, in 2014. She joined the WES Council in 2015, taking on the role of Student Groups and Universities Liaison. Beginning in June 2016, she chaired the WES Early Careers Board, a group of 12 early career female engineers, for two years. During her time as Chair, the Early Careers Board
redesigned the WES poster for secondary school age students, ran an essay competition, and supported the Centenary manager in a successful Heritage Lottery Funding bid. Dr Douglas-Harris also organised the #WESLottieTour for four years, growing this project from 10 WES volunteers in its first year, to over 150 engineers in 2019.
n Julie Harrison, an Inspiron Learning and Director at Climate Action North (CAN), works with engineers to develop work- based learning projects to deliver in schools ‘so that young people learn about the importance of engineering, and that we change the perception of it’. She explained: “Throughout the course, the students learn about the different careers in engineering. One example is the lifecycle of a bottle of shampoo – ‘From oil rig to salon’. This has been so popular in secondary schools that I am now trying it out in primary schools. Students are taken through the process of oil extraction, distillation, and process, and the development of plastics. The importance of recycling and the future of energy production are also highlighted.” As Director at Climate Action North, Julie Harrison says her focus will be ‘bringing the CAN products and services to Teesside,
Julie Harrison giving her ‘role model’ presentation at Trinity Catholic College.
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