How do we make our industry more attractive to Gen Z women?
Join Women in Transport and our partner Kier Highways on Thursday 20th January 2022, 12:00 - 13:00, for a panel discussion on ‘How do we make our industry more attractive to Gen Z women’.
Chaired by Kier Highway’s Talent, Development and Inclusion Manager, Tracey Collins, the panel will explore what Gen Z women have to offer that is different from other generations, what they are looking for in a career/employer and what we as an industry are doing wrong or right to attract and retain them.
Gen Z workers (born between 1995 and 2020) are underrepresented in our industry in general and in the highways sector in particular (only 7.9% are under 25). Gen Z women bring different skills, expectations, and ambitions to the workplace than other generations of women and understanding these is a key part of identifying ways of attracting them into the transport industry.
So how can we become more diverse by attracting Gen-Z women into transport careers and retain the women who are already here? A diverse and inclusive workforce presents myriad opportunities for growth, so come along to be part of the conversation.
The panel will comprise a mix of representatives from employers and Gen Z women, including Dr Alice Moncaster, Lauren Cooper, Lucy Nightingale and Alexa Hughes.
Dr Alice Moncaster (Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Built Environment at The Open University)
After a first degree in engineering at Cambridge, and a period of research at Bristol on building in earthquake zones, Alice spent several years as a consultant working as part of interdisciplinary design teams on the structural design of new buildings and major extension and refurbishment projects, also designing her own low embodied and operational carbon house extension. A burning desire to make both the built environment and the construction industry more sustainable led her to write a research proposal exploring the design and construction of ‘sustainable’ schools, and was awarded funding at the School of Environmental Sciences at UEA in 2007. Alice held a research post at the University of Cambridge Centre for Sustainable Development, where she stayed for 9 years, becoming a lecturer in 2014. Academic leadership positions at Cambridge included: Director and Deputy Director of the postgraduate professional masters course ‘Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment’ which was run jointly between the Departments of Architecture and Engineering; Director of Studies and Fellow at Newnham College; and establishing and leading the research group ‘Cambridge University Built Environment Sustainability’ (CUBES). She was appointed to a Senior Lectureship at the Open University in 2017, remaining a Visiting Academic Fellow at Cambridge, and has continued to work towards the achievement of a sustainable, resilient and near-to-zero-carbon built environment. At the OU she has set up the Built Environment research cluster, and lead a research group in Built Environment Sustainability and Resilience.
Lauren Cooper (Apprentice Civil Engineer at Kier Highways)
After her GCSEs Lauren decided to follow in her dad’s footprints and joined Kier Highways in 2020. She is now an apprentice Civil Engineer studying her level 3 in civil engineering at Sheffield College. Although new to the industry Lauren’s career is already going from strength to strength and she was awarded the chair of governor’s award for Sheffield College in her first year of study. This year Lauren has joined Women in Transport and is passionate to attract other young females into the industry. Lauren has ambitions to finish her apprenticeship this year and to go on to compete her degree with Kier, with the end goal of becoming chartered. Outside of work she plays netball and is also an Aston Villa season ticket holder.
Lucy Nightingale (Apprentice Civil Engineer at Kier Highways)
Lucy is an Engineer with over ten years’ experience in the highways industry. She joined Kier in 2016 whilst undertaking a part-time degree in Civil Engineering, graduating in 2017 and being awarded the Professor John Pike Award for Outstanding Contribution & Achievement by Nottingham Trent University for her final year project. In 2019 she achieved the Incorporated Engineer (IEng) qualification with the CIHT and, also received an award for Outstanding Performance at Professional Review. Her background is predominantly traffic engineering and road improvements. Over the last 3-years she has been managing and developing a portfolio of road safety projects for National Highways, which she has found very rewarding as it positively impacts road users through the prevention of serious injuries and fatalities, and the projects can be complex in terms of investigating the root cause of collisions or due to the engineering challenge of upgrading a sub-standard existing road. She is now about to embark on a new chapter of her career as a Project Manager in Kier for more nationally significant projects such as High Speed 2, whilst also studying to become a Chartered Manager. She does all of this mostly working from her home in Nottinghamshire where she also enjoys a range of hobbies such as gardening, gaming, DIY, and open water swimming.
Alexa Hughes (Graduate Civil Engineer at Eurovia UK)
Alexa is an experienced Graduate Civil Engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the construction industry with skills in Data Analysis, Public Speaking, Research, Time Management, and Teamwork. She has a First-Class Hons MEng in Civil Engineering from University of Surrey. Alexa is an enthusiastic member of Women in Transport and, whilst studying was the Vice President of the University of Surrey Student’s Union. She was also involved in an exhausting number of activities and societies during her time at University, including: being elected as Team Surrey Chair, Watch Leader on board Rona 2 Transatlantic Tall Ships Race, President of the Debating Society, Team Captain of Ladies Squash and Treasurer of the Civil Engineering Society.
To attend this event, please complete the form below and an invitation will be emailed to you.