International Women's Day Spotlight - Meet Caroline van Bergen
We talked to Caroline about her experiences as a female engineer at Capula, here's what she said:
What inspired you to pursue a career in your field?
I moved to England from The Netherlands when I was 19, after working several jobs in the language and customer service field I realised I wanted more and at 27 I decided to go to University. Juggling so many languages in my head lets me approach things very analytically which I believe has worked in my favour.
When I was young, I always asked the question 'Why?'. Why is the world the way it is? What's the reason? I was interested in Physics but also wanted a field that would be practical and career-oriented (Physics routes weren't known to be) therefore a happy medium was Electrical Engineering. This still allowed me to problem solve and provided an interesting subject area.
What do you enjoy most about working at Capula?
The people, culture and company values. All result in a friendly and calm environment where people are respected, and no one is left out. The ED&I initiatives such as our EveryONE employee network, show Capula care about their employees. At Capula there’s mutual trust between staff and management which is a crucial part of feeling happy at your workplace and seeing this motivates me to be a part of the community.
What advice would you give to women looking to thrive in this sector?
Although this is a traditionally male-dominated industry, it doesn't mean there's no space for women as the market is growing rapidly and opportunities are there. I would say do your best to interact and engage with the other women around you, support and lift each other up. Start your own initiatives and groups if there aren't any, and don't be afraid to speak up. There will be challenges along the way, but these are just stepping stones to growth.
Do you think there is a glass ceiling in engineering?
Absolutely, engineering has always been a field dominated by men and while a lot of progress has been made, women are still underrepresented, causing barriers even for the highly qualified.
Women in leadership positions are low in numbers, and it takes a lot of effort to break through. Fortunately, companies are starting to realise that having a diverse leadership team carries benefits, therefore more organisations are starting to adopt these diversity initiatives. It's vital that we keep up this momentum and continue pushing for positive change.
What's your top tip for a great career?
Engineering is a group effort, so it pays to be social. Networking isn't 'not working', it's a smart investment in your future, so take the time to get to know your colleagues and management team, get your face out there and be proactive. Don't underestimate the power of soft skills like communication and teamwork, they can be equally important to progress up the ladder as technical expertise.