blog

Engineering remains one of the most male-dominated professions, and Amber acknowledges that she has sometimes felt the pressure to prove her competence more than her male peers. Yet she credits her growing confidence in the workplace for enabling her to navigate these challenges with self-assurance.

Crucially, as a working mother, Amber highlights the invaluable support she receives from Izzat. "Izzat has been incredibly supportive," she shares. "As a mum, the flexibility and understanding they offer has allowed me to do my job while managing my family responsibilities.” For Meaghan, providing a supportive and flexible environment for all of their staff is something that she is super passionate about. 

Together We Engineer

This years’ theme is “Together we engineer”, emphasising the importance of collaboration and inclusivity. Over Amber’s nearly two-decade career, she has been a direct witness to significant industry shifts. She explains how gender diversity, once a rarely discussed topic, has moved to the forefront of industry conversations. Meaghan added that practical changes, such as the introduction of female amenities on construction sites, alongside the adoption of pink high vis vests, are collectively contributing to a more inclusive and safer workplace environment for women.

“Visibility and support are vital,” Amber emphasises. “Everyone, especially children, need to see women excelling in a variety of roles and industries, including technical, specialist and leadership roles. Flexible working arrangements - for both men and women - is also essential in helping to make engineering a more sustainable career choice for all.”

Empowering the Next Generation

To wrap up our conversation, we asked Amber what advice she would offer to young women considering a future in engineering. Her message was both honest and empowering:

“Know your strengths and be yourself. There might be times when you're the only woman in the room, but your opinion and perspective is important and valuable”.

She adds, “Engineering is a broad and rewarding career. Every project is different and brings new challenges. You get to solve real problems and see the impact of your work come to life. You may not have your career path figured out early on, but sometimes the best roles are the ones you didn’t plan for.”

Amber Crossley’s story is a testament to the evolving landscape of engineering - a field growing more diverse, inclusive, and enriched by the talents of women like her. Our conversation highlighted the need to create excitement amongst the younger generation of females to embark upon a career in Engineering. 

Both Amber and Meaghan are excellent ambassadors for women in engineering and highlight the diverse opportunities available across the sector. 

Stay tuned for the next posts in our Women in Engineering series, where we will share the journeys and perspectives of two more inspiring women shaping the future of this evolving industry.