International Women in Engineering Day 2026 falls on Tuesday 23 June, and this year’s theme is Engineering Intelligence.
Engineering intelligence not only informs decisions, it is a way of thinking. A way of approaching problems, and a set of skills that can be built through very different routes.
To mark the day, we caught up with two women within the Morris & Spottiswood Group. Lisa is a Chartered Engineer who now applies her engineering thinking to strategy and business leadership across the Group. Lauren is a Project Manager at Livingston, our Mechanical & Electrical Engineering business, where she leads project delivery.
Here’s what they had to say.
Meet Lisa
What first drew you to engineering, and where did you study?
I have always been fascinated by how things worked. As a girl, I was always building dens or constructing obstacle courses for my sister. I enjoyed problem solving and making ideas turn into something tangible, so that really drew me towards engineering as a career.
Did you face any barriers or assumptions as a woman studying or entering engineering? How did you navigate them?
I faced assumptions like being mistaken for the trainer when attending industry-training courses, and I also realised some disappointing truths, like being the only female on my course for the first three years.
I believed that I had an obligation to show that just because there weren’t many female engineers in the UK, it didn’t mean that we didn’t belong. I stayed focused and let my work speak for itself. Over time I formed strong friendships at university and networks through professional groups.
A decade ago, fewer than 10% of engineers were women. Today, it’s closer to 17%. We’re moving in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go.
Tell us about your career so far. How did you move from a traditional engineering route into your current role at the Morris & Spottiswood Group?
My career has been an evolving journey. I initially worked as an engineer with a global company completing desktop analysis, reporting, and writing procedures. Wanting a more hands-on role, I became a project engineer for a sub-contracting company where I carried out structural bridge inspections and worked closer with clients. I then transitioned into project manager roles, both as a client and a consultant, becoming a Chartered Engineer along the way.
Each step expanded my understanding of our industry and the work that we do in the built environment. Now in my current role, I’m able to help shape strategy, drive change and improvements, bringing the technical knowledge and logical thinking from my engineering background into wider business leadership.
How does your engineering background show up in your work, even though it isn’t a specific engineering role?
Even though I’m no longer in a traditional engineering role, I use an engineering mindset every day. Engineering taught me to break down complex problems, think logically, and apply process or systems to ensure success and efficiency. No matter what project or activity I am leading, I apply the same structured, analytical approach.
The 2026 INWED theme is Engineering Intelligence. What does that phrase mean to you?
To me, engineering intelligence is a mindset. It’s logical problem solving, assessing information and data, and seeing the wider picture whilst considering cause and effect.
It’s applying learning you’ve gained from other experiences to solve the problem at hand, systematically and strategically.
What’s one thing you wish more young women knew about engineering as a career?
I wish more young women knew that a career in engineering doesn’t necessarily mean wearing a hard hat and working on site. A career in engineering can be extremely varied. You can specialise in many areas, from designing bridges and buildings, to developing sustainable solutions, to improving business processes.
Engineering is a career that evolves with you. It opens doors you may not have even imagined yet.
Meet Lauren
Tell us a bit about your background. What did you study, and how did you end up working in the engineering sector?
Unlike many people in the engineering sector I didn’t take the university route. After finishing school with A Levels, I jumped straight into the world of work.
My first opportunity came as a Project Administrator for an M&E company. I quickly knew I loved the industry and the fast-paced environment. As my knowledge and confidence grew I progressed into a Project Co-ordinator role. I was involved in small projects day to day with a focus on sourcing the labour.
Looking to progress, I moved to another company who offered me a Junior Project Manager role. Here I gained invaluable knowledge and was running medium sized projects within the banking framework. After a couple of years I progressed to Project Manager.
What does your role as a Project Manager involve day to day?
My role day to day varies. Sometimes I’m on site, which I love, and it’s always great working directly with the engineers. On site it can be fast paced, navigating design issues and conflicting trades, but also rewarding seeing the project come together.
Other days I’m in the office working through emails to clients and keeping up to date with estimates going out.
What skills do you think matter most for a Project Manager in an engineering environment?
I believe the biggest skill you need is communication. Without this, even the simplest of tasks could create the biggest issues.
You need to be able to communicate with everyone at different levels, and build strong relationships with clients, contractors and the site team for a successful project delivery. You can’t always plan for every eventuality, so being proactive and reactive is definitely required, as well as being organised to help ensure things run smoothly.
Is there a project you’ve been involved in that you’re particularly proud of, and why?
There are a couple, but the one that really stands out to me is achieving flawless delivery on a bank acquisition whilst being 6 months pregnant. Being confident in my skills, and having gained so much experience through the years, ensured that the last project I delivered onsite before maternity leave was finished successfully. It felt like the perfect way to round off that chapter.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a project management or commercial career in the engineering sector?
I would say go for it. The engineering sector is unique. It can be fast-paced, but also very rewarding. The people in this industry are down to earth and there’s always plenty of banter. I really do enjoy being at work.
Don’t be put off thinking you don’t have the skills or the knowledge. While technical knowledge does provide a solid foundation in this industry, ultimately it’s good leadership and people skills that drive project delivery.
Two routes. One industry.
Lisa and Lauren highlight two very different paths into a career in the engineering sector. Lisa through a degree, and a series of technical roles before moving into Group leadership. Lauren through entering straight into work after school and building her career project by project.
Both lead with confidence in roles where their experience, their problem solving, and their people skills shape how they work every day.
That’s engineering intelligence in practice.
Find out more about careers across the Morris & Spottiswood Group: https://morrisandspottiswoodgroup.co.uk/working-with-us/careers/