“Be open minded and research all of the opportunities out there,” says Eszter Kortvelyesi’s in her advice to young women looking to launch a career in engineering.
This is certainly excellent advice considering the vast number of misconceptions in the engineering sector and the arguably lack of tailored information available to school students looking to further their engineering careers.
“Women and girls aren't aware of the full range of engineering opportunities out there - nor do they necessrily consider engineering as a creative career. My passion is actually for design and innovation,” explains Eszter.
Eszter is participating in Schneider Electric's graduate engineering development programme in the UK, having recently graduated with a Masters in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark. Schneider Electric’s graduate programme is designed to cover a broad range of engineering skills and business units. The key objective is to support career development and enable talent to develop specialisms and uncover areas of interest. “The programme is a great fit for me,” Eszter explains. “It constantly challenges me in new areas and opens up new opportunities for learning.”
Starting out as an engineer
Eszter is impressive - she speaks five languages. She was always strong in Maths and logic at her school in Hungary and was encouraged by her mother, a chemical engineer in environment protection, to follow her passion for engineering. “My mother is a strong role model and encouraged me to be persistent with Maths despite feeling underrepresented in class. As a girl studying Maths at school, I was in a minority of about 10%. My mother never actively nudged us towards engineering, but without doubt she developed my interest in maths and science.”
Eszter’s career soared whilst studying for her Masters in Denmark and she joined Schneider Electric as an intern to research home energy solutions in smart homes. “The Schneider Electric internship was a fantastic platform for applying the techniques and knowledge I gained at University to a business environment. My thesis was published by Schneider Electric as a white paper - and this has supported new business areas for Schneider in zoned heating approaches and smart temperature control technologies. This was definitely a career highlight for me.”
Women at Schneider Electric
Eszter is part of a structured graduate programme at Schneider Electric developing her expertise and growing her skillset. “I feel very supported in this environment and enjoy working alongside some very talented individuals. Women are well represented at Schneider Electric and I feel valued. Ultimately, I think that's all women really need to advance their careers. If women are encouraged on a level playing field, then I believe that their careers will flourish. Schneider Electric is a great place to be right now, and I'm excited about my future.”
Why not learn more about Schneider Electric’s supportive working environment and explore its wide range of graduate career opportunities?
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.