Ocean Protect is proud celebrate International Women in Engineering Day today. The day is focused on celebrating the work women have achieved in Engineering and encouraging younger generations to become engineers in a predominately male industry.
We spoke with Ocean Protect’s Lily Dorraj, Specification Engineer, about what this day means to her.
What (or who) inspired you to enter engineering as a career?
“My decision to pursue a career in engineering was ultimately driven by my passion for problem-solving, a desire to make an impact and the opportunity to learn a lot of different skills and be able to apply them in different roles. A career in engineering gave me these opportunities and I have enjoyed working on a lot of interesting projects that aim to improve the environment for our community. Two of my favourite projects are the Filterra New Norfolk project as well as the OceanSave for O’Herns Road Epping project.”
How has engineering changed for women across your career?
“From my perspective, I feel included in the engineering industry, although there are times when I still face similar challenges, and most of my positive experiences have been with Ocean Protect, which stands out as a great company compared to others. Though more females are needed in the industry, and I believe there needs to be a focus on fostering early interest, challenging biases, providing mentorship and promoting inclusivity.”
The theme for this year is “Make Safety Seen” what does this mean to you?
“A culture where safety is a priority in terms of physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of ourselves.”
Do you have any female role models from across the industry that you admire or want to acknowledge?
“Hanna Hartenthaler from Arcadis and Julia Baumann Dalton Consulting Engineers (DCE) as they are both great leaders in the industry who are always very supportive and helpful.”
What advice would you give to a female student thinking about embarking on a career in engineering?
“Build a strong foundation in math and science at school, pursue educational opportunities and gain practical experience wherever possible, seek mentorship and collaborate with professionals, be confident and advocate for diversity and inclusivity, work hard, embrace challenges, stay focused and believe in your abilities to be successful.”