PC-JUN24-PG06.1_Layout 1 12/06/2024 09:53 Page 6
PUMPS, VALVES & ACTUATORS
CHAMPIONING WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
Louise Morley has made history as the first female Head of Operations in ClydeUnion Pumps’ 140-year history. In conversation with Editor Michelle Lea, she shares insights into her career journey, highlighting the challenges, triumphs, and her aspirations for the future of women in engineering
Q
. Tell us a little about your employer. A. ClydeUnion Pumps is a pump manufacturer based in Glasgow, Scotland, with a rich heritage dating back to shipbuilding on the Clyde in the 19th century. Today, as part of Celeros Flow Technology, they provide flow control solutions for safety- critical applications in industries such as oil & gas, water, nuclear, and renewable power generation. Q.What does your role as Head of Operations entail? A. I oversee the company’s operational activities, including the machine shop and assembly, and lead a team of 64 people. My team and I are responsible for ensuring timely delivery and high quality while driving operational best practices and seeking continuous improvement. Q. When did you first become interested in engineering as a career? A. I came into the profession quite late! I spent 12 years as a travel agent and after starting a family I was keen for a new challenge. Therefore, I took a temp role in the planning department at ClydeUnion Pumps. It was my first experience of an engineering company, and I loved learning about compliance and the different components that make up a pump.
From there, I moved into a permanent role in project management and took an APM qualification. Although I got to travel again – working in Dubai on a large project overseeing the commissioning and installation, I realised
6 JUNE 2024 | PROCESS & CONTROL
With International Women in Engineering Day celebrated this month, Louise Morley discusses what can be done to encourage more women engineers
that learning about the pump equipment side was what really motivated me. So, I successfully secured my first cell leader role in operations and gained further knowledge and experience of centrifugal and reciprocating pumps. Then I spent a couple of years at our Plenty Pumps Hillington site learning about other pump types, including screw pumps. Q. So, you had a smooth career progression? A. I wanted to gain further qualifications to support my personal development. I turned 40 in 2020 and thought ‘if I don’t do this now, I never will’ and enrolled at Strathclyde Business School. Studying and working full time was a real challenge on top of family life – but it paid off. I graduated with a degree in Business Management in November 2023 and secured the Head of Operations role shortly after. Q. What barriers face women wanting to become engineers? A. There are still too many assumptions about engineering being the province of men, as though it is ‘not natural’ for women to want to get their hands dirty, solve problems or mend things. No-one ever suggested engineering as a career path to me, so I believe education from an early age is key. Girls still don’t understand all the options that engineering offers – from the typical engineering roles to design, project management, finance, or marketing we offer multiple opportunities for all. Q. Do you think positive discrimination is the answer? A. Positive discrimination doesn’t work, in my opinion. You have to pick people on merit and who will be an asset to the team, not because they fill some arbitrary quota. There has to be a good fit for both employer and employee. That is how you build a positive, nurturing
culture where people of any gender can thrive. There are certainly no hard numbers for a percentage of females in the Operations team here! Q. What skills do you think women can bring to engineering roles? A. I think women are generally better at the soft skills and communication. We can be better at reading the room, which means we can bring emotional intelligence as well as practical solutions to the table. Q. What positive changes have you experienced in the workplace? A. When I returned to ClydeUnion Pumps, they had just become part of Celeros Flow Technology – but the difference in culture was already apparent. ClydeUnion Pumps was very rooted in its Scottish heritage, which is important, but can limit your outlook. Celeros Flow Technology is an international player and encourages us to think globally. It also has a strong set of values – one of which is accountability for yourself and for others. As a result, I believe the company is now more willing to champion women and diversity. It’s evident in practical ways, such as sourcing PPE that is designed for women, and considering gender-neutral toilet facilities. Q. What could we all do to encourage more women engineers? A. Respect everyone’s views equally and be supportive. I believe if you show others respect and dignity you get it back. I also believe that as women we have got to be our own role models: get into schools and talk to other females, sharing and discussing the possibilities that engineering offers for a rewarding and fulfilling career.
ClydeUnion Pumps
www.celerosft.com/en-us/brands/ clydeunion-pumps
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
