ChastainSkillman | DCCM Celebrates International Women in Engineering Day 2024 – ChastainSkillman

ChastainSkillman | DCCM Celebrates International Women in Engineering Day 2024

In 2014, the Women’s Engineering Society launched National Women in Engineering Day in the UK. International audiences quickly developed interest in the campaign, and it was expanded to an international celebration in 2017. It is an international awareness campaign celebrating the work and achievements of women engineers, everywhere!

In 2023, there were more than 200 global media stories and over 389,000 social media impressions revolving around International Women in Engineering Day.

We are extremely proud of our team of women engineers at ChastainSkillman | DCCM, whose dedication and commitment set the standard for excellence in our company. Their precision and attention to detail ensure the highest service quality is delivered to our clients.

Keep reading to learn about Sarah and Stephanie’s stories—and see what they have to say about their careers, entering the engineering industry as women, and the advice they would give to future women entering the world of engineering.

How did you know you wanted to go into the engineering field? Were you around engineers growing up? If so, were any of them women?

Sarah: There is a scene in the movie Apollo 13 where they must fit a square peg into a round hole using only the items that are onboard the spacecraft. While civil and aerospace are vastly different fields, the ability to create something from nothing that solves a specific problem is universal among the engineering disciplines. I do not have a specific female engineer role model but my high school Physics teacher, Mrs. Gupton, influenced my decision to become a civil engineer.

Stephanie: Growing up, I enjoyed art. I loved to draw characters from my favorite shows and landscapes around me. I thought I wanted to be an architect, but realized I was pretty good at math, so I thought, “Why not be an engineer?” I did not grow up around engineers, especially women engineers. My first exposure to engineering was a drafting course in high school. That was the last year the school had taught the class, so I was moved into the engineering courses the following years and stuck with it.

What is the proudest moment of your engineering career, so far?

Sarah: It took me longer to get my bachelor’s degree than most. I am most proud of not giving up on my dreams even when there were bumps in the road. I proved to myself that with enough time and effort I can learn anything, do anything, be anything I want.

Stephanie: The proudest moment of my engineering career is the realization that I am learning and improving every day. As a fresh engineer, you learn there is a lot in the field that school does not teach you and I am excited to always be learning something new.

What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

Sarah: Engineers have forgotten more math than most people will ever learn. I can’t say I use any calculus daily, but I think communication is paramount and is the one thing engineers tend to struggle with the most.

Stephanie: The most important skill, not just in engineering but in any profession, is communication. Our teams collaborate daily on a variety of projects. It is important to effectively communicate the tasks to be completed and the goals to be achieved.

Describe a specific situation where another woman in engineering did something that was inspiring/impressive to you.

Sarah: Emily Roebling took over for the Brooklyn Bridge project in New York when her husband became ill. She was an accomplished engineer in her own right and it is a shame that she wasn’t given proper recognition at the time due to the risk of men not wanting to use a bridge designed by a woman.

Stephanie: I get to sit by one of our talented engineers, Jenn. She has a vast knowledge of different aspects of the civil field from surface creation to plan production to permitting. Watching her inspires me to learn more about various aspects of the field.

If you could give advice to young women thinking of going into engineering for their careers, what would you tell them?

Sarah: The secret formula for making your dreams come true:

A dream written down with a date becomes a goal.
A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan.
A plan backed by action becomes reality.

Stephanie: One piece of advice I would give to young women in engineering is to do you! Women only make up about 16% of engineers (Society of Women Engineers, 2024) but we are continually growing. Do not be discouraged and pursue what you want to achieve. Engineering is for everyone and if you have a passion for it, why not take on the challenge?

About ChastainSkillman | DCCM

ChastainSkillman | DCCM is a leading engineering firm headquartered in Lakeland, FL, with satellite offices in Orlando, FL, and Nashville, TN. Established in Lakeland in 1950, our company provides Land & Site Development, Water/Wastewater, Hydrology & Hydraulics, Surveying, Utilities, and Program & Construction Management.

At ChastainSkillman | DCCM, we treasure our role in creating thriving communities, always respecting the impact our work has on their foundations and their futures. For more information, explore our website.