My engineering vocation

When I was still a little girl it was my dad who first aroused my interest in science and technology. In my house there were always “stripped down” computers and tools lying about. Some of our most enjoyable family trips were to places like the city of arts and sciences or the house where Da Vinci was born. I’ve never made any distinction between “boys’ things and girls’ things”; this attitude defined my interests and was key to my later decision to choose engineering as a career.

Ever since elective courses became an option, around the age of 15 onwards, I was nearly always one of the few or even the only girl in the class. This was the tonic throughout my whole education: baccalaureate, ICT degree and my work today. Engineering is still typically a man’s job, though the number of women is creeping up nowadays. We are now quite a few women engineers in GMV and the proportion is continually rising as new generations are recruited.

I’m not saying here that all women should take up engineering careers, far from it; rather that each and every one should feel free to follow the career that most appeals to him or her, without prejudgments of any type. Nothing in engineering makes it more likely for a man to perform better than a woman.

I work in engineering. For 4 years now I’ve been part of GMV’s ITS team, specifically in the validation department. Our department’s remit is to validate and check the software and hardware we develop to make sure it is compliant with the strictest quality standards. I belong to the hardware team, making sure the hardware built complies with its specifications, not only written specs but also such practical tests as waterproofness or vehicle-vibration resistance. We also deal with equipment certification. This involves checking that our equipment meets current regulations so that it can be supplied in different locations: Europe, USA, South America…

Engineering work is ever-changing and strewn with challenges. This keeps us on our toes and enables us to learn something new every day. It is also a field where teamwork is essential. We always need to keep in mind that a problem looks different when tackled from various, analysis-enriching viewpoints. It is often the case that, after many hours of struggling with a problem, the solution comes after swapping notes with a colleague. Our colleagues are thus our number-one asset in this endeavor.

As things stand today, science and technology are increasingly essential in order to understand the world we live in. STEM careers, as one branch of science, give a broader and more logical view of the world. It is a developing field offering continuous challenges to inquisitive minds. Technology, moreover, is increasingly to the fore in our daily lives. Much work remains to be done but the future is really bright.

Minds are genderless. If you have an inquisitive mind, engineering is where you should be.

Author: Sara Hoyos