June 23, 2025 marks the 12th annual International Women in Engineering Day (INWED).
Established 12 years ago by the Women’s Engineering Society, this day was created to encourage more women and girls into STEM – a field where women have been typically underrepresented. This year’s theme for International Women in Engineering Day is #TogetherWeEngineer, so we’re spotlighting women from all across #TeamPenspen’s service lines and regions to show the role that each person plays in engineering the future of energy across the world.
We asked them who inspired them to start a career in the engineering industry, who they’re hoping to inspire, and what a career dedicated to improving access to secure and sustainable energy means to them.
In this second edition, meet April, As-Build Coordinator & Lead CAD Associate at C&I Engineering, a company acquired by Penspen in 2024; Najma, Senior Finance Officer based in Abu Dhabi; and Nora, Senior Cathodic Protection Engineer based in Colombia.
April Salter – As-Build Coordinator & Lead CAD Associate, C&I Engineering
What does your role entail? What drew you to your particular field?
Being an As-Build Coordinator (and Lead CAD Associate) means I am responsible for ensuring that all Safety Critical Drawings submitted for update by our clients, are processed, updated accurately, and returned in a timely manner.
My path to becoming an As-Build Coordinator was not straightforward. Fresh out of university, I started my career working at an architectural glass and fenestration company which subsequently went into administration during the construction industry crash in 2009.
By diversifying the skills and knowledge I gained while working there, I secured the first of many jobs designing offshore accommodation units for use in the North Sea. Once I had gained a little more experience in the industry, I moved on to working as a E&I draughtsperson/CAD operator for some of the larger engineering firms in the oil and gas industry here in Aberdeen.
Fast forward to 2018, I joined C&I Engineering Solutions as a CAD Associate. As time progressed and C&I gained more As Building clients, we needed more people, so my team grew, and I became the As-Build Coordinator.
What’s a common myth about engineering you’d like to debunk?
That you have to love mathematics and that you can’t be creative.
What’s one project of innovation you’re especially proud of having worked on that made you think “this is why I became an engineer”?
There isn’t just one project that stands out, but I get the most reward when we have gone above and beyond a client’s expectation and I feel I have done a good job personally. That’s really rewarding.
Do you have someone you’re hoping to inspire into an engineering career?
My niece, who is currently involved the ‘STEM Ambassadors in Scotland’ program and has had some of her work shown at the V&A Museum in Dundee. She is very bright, but a little shy, so I tell her to be brave and believe in herself and her ideas.
Najma Salam – Senior Finance Officer
Who or what first inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
I was inspired to work in engineering in the oil and gas industry because of its dynamic nature, and the potential for financial professionals to play a crucial role in the success of complex engineering projects.
The opportunity to combine my finance expertise with the technical challenges of engineering felt like a perfect fit.
What’s a common myth about engineering you’d like to debunk?
One common myth about engineering is that it’s all about technical skills and that finance or business roles aren’t as important.
In reality, Finance plays a critical role in the success of engineering projects. Without strong financial oversight, even the most innovative engineering solutions can fail due to budget overruns, mismanagement of resources, or inadequate cash flow.
Do you have someone you’re hoping to inspire into an engineering career?
I’m always eager to inspire the next generation of professionals to take up a career in engineering or related fields.
Whether it’s my younger colleagues, or mentees within the industry, I hope to show them how finance can play an integral part in the success of engineering ventures and encourage them to pursue their passions with a blend of technical and financial expertise.
What gives you hope about the future of women in engineering?
While I work more in finance, I do see an increasing number of women in leadership roles within engineering. More women are breaking through technical roles, and I’m hopeful that as we continue to see increased gender diversity in our industry, more inclusive environments will be created, leading to better solutions in the field.
Nora Villamizar – Senior Cathodic Protection Engineer
Who or what first inspired you to pursue a career in engineering? Did you have a role model growing up who shaped your view of STEM or engineering?
Two people inspired me: my uncle, who, although not an engineer at the time, loved science, experiments, and innovation. He later became an electronic engineer, and when I was young, he’d share what he was working on with me, talking about the challenges and how he was solving them.
Secondly, my chemistry teacher inspired me. She was so enthusiastic – she loved teaching and she loved science.
What does your role entail? What drew you to your particular field?
I analyse and evaluate the level of protection that pipelines have against corrosion, considering the factors that can affect that, and then I design methods to protect them. This is an important part of ensuring their integrity so that they can operate safely for longer.
And crucially, the reason we do this work is to protect people and the environment.
What’s one project or innovation you’re especially proud of having worked on that made you think “this is why I became an engineer”?
I’m especially proud of my work on a recent project, designing the cathodic protection system for a really complex pipeline structure. It was a huge challenge, and it taught me a great deal, and we’re still working on it now.
My work in engineering protects people and the environment, which gives it real meaning to me. It also reduces costs and improves productivity of assets for their owners.
What gives you hope about the future of women in engineering?
The contributions made by women in science and engineering have been so significant in our field. I believe that what’s important, beyond being a man or a woman, is to do something you love, with the determination to do your best, a lot of passion. Then nothing can stop you.
Thank you to April, Najma and Nora for sharing your stories with us – together, we’re engineering the future of energy.
- Want to help us engineer the future of energy? Visit our Careers page to view our open vacancies.
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