Natalie Parker has been awarded one of the Institution of Engineering and Technology's 'Young Woman Engineer of the Year' prizes.
A Sellafield Ltd technical specialist, Natalie Parker has been awarded the 'Young Woman Engineer of the Year' prize at this years Institution of Engineering and Technology's (IET) achievement awards.
Natalie is a manager for the Operational Technology Group at Sellafield and provides technical advice to front line engineering teams and project support. Natalie works to support the different facility facing teams to enable an offsite location that allows engineers to share problems, innovate ideas and learn from experience.
As well as highlighting engineering talent, the IET 'Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award' seeks to find role models who can help address the UK science and engineering skills crisis by promoting engineering careers to more girls and women.
Outside of work, Natalie developed a primary school workshop and rolled it out in a vast number of primary schools to introduce students to electrical circuits and programming through fun and interactive activities, showing them how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills can be used in everyday life.
Natalie said:
I'm so humbled and honoured to even be considered as a finalist never mind win a prize. The passion and enjoyment I have promoting a career in STEM to the future generation and helping to break down barriers as a woman gives me constant motivation.
The IET's Young Women Engineering Awards are an amazing platform to help promote all the remarkable work engineers do and provide more female role models in the engineering and technology fields. I am often asked what success looks like for equality and diversity in the industry and my answer is always that we will no longer need EDI groups.
With 3 prizes to be won - the Young Woman Engineer (YWE) of the Year Award, the Mary George Memorial Prize for Apprentices and the Women's Engineering Society prize - Natalie was up against an incredible line-up of female talent working in our industry today.
Jenifer Carruthers, chief engineer at Sellafield Ltd, said:
What an amazing achievement, a credit to Natalie's hard work and determination. Natalie is an incredible engineer, role model and inspiration to future female engineers. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for her.
Head of equality, diversity and inclusion at the IET, Dr Laura Norton said:
Engineering and technology have been improving our world and shaping our future for centuries. Engineers make an ongoing difference to the world around us, and we want to celebrate those engineering a better world for us all.
However, due a lack of understanding around what engineering is, perceived gender norms and not enough visible role models for the next generation, the UK has a shortage of women engineers.
Our awards tell the stories of incredible women engineers who are changing our world for the better and shines a spotlight on them as roles models to get more girls excited and inspired about a career in engineering.
