Becky Johnson, GE

I struggled with imposter syndrome early in my career. I managed to convince myself everyone I worked with knew more about the aerospace industry, could design HPT blades blindfolded, and I was the only person with questions…many questions. Over time I learned the people who never asked questions just didn’t realize they had knowledge gaps, and that we all bring unique skills and talents to our teams that make us valuable.

I strongly believe “if you can see it, you can be it.” We need to show young women there are interesting and rewarding careers in STEM. We need to work with our organizations to strengthen outreach to schools, clubs, etc. and promote our industry as a place that is welcoming to women and that offers exciting career opportunities.
 

Marie-Pier Berman, NavCanada

The biggest challenge for me personally when I started within the aviation domain, was work-life balance. As a pilot, I was gone a lot and, at the time, the industry was not hiring as much (it was just after September 11^th), so it was challenging to think of personal and family life when I was gone all the time. Which is how I ended up in Air Traffic Control.

The most important opportunity to increase the number of women in STEM from my perspective, is educating people on the immense amount of opportunities that are available within this field. There are jobs for every type of person, and they definitely don’t all mean being on the road all the time (or in the air, in this case)! If more people know of the options available within the field of aviation, I think more will realize this is a great career opportunity with a lot of growth and development potential.
 

Nina Brooks, ICCAIA

My original career was as a software engineer. Although it didn’t hold me back, in some organizations I sometimes felt that I could never really be accepted as part of the team; it made for a slightly lonely existence in a very male-dominated environment.

The most important opportunity to increase the number of women in STEM is changing the perception - highlighting the vast range of opportunities available and ensuring that clubs, projects and courses at school and college have appeal for girls and women.
 

Priya Doobaree, IFALPA

The biggest challenge for me is having the level of commitment and interest to get into the job market for the most interesting roles, as these are often male dominant. Research is often part of STEM, and these require the ability to work independently, which some people may find difficult. However, if there is a keen interest, the job is rewarding, especially when one can succeed at creating and shaping the future.

That is why we need to show case the wide range of professions that are available and position innovation at the heart of every job in STEM. STEM also requires creativity, which is not always obvious.  Contrary to perception, work life balance and flexible schedules are available just like other professions.