Destination Professional Engineer

Samantha Irwin and Dena Davies were always ambitious, but it was thanks to the encouragement of others that they decided to study engineering, ultimately becoming professional engineers.

When Irwin was struggling to select a career path during her first year of general sciences at university, Irwin’s uncle suggested she consider becoming an astronaut. “At first, I thought he was crazy and laughed it off as a far-fetched dream.” After further thought and encouragement from her parents, she got excited that such a profession was a possibility for her. She started to look into the education she would need, and engineering kept coming up. “That discovery made me realize engineering could open up many avenues across various industries and roles, and I found that flexibility very attractive.”

Davies was considering going into business when her high-school friend told her she would excel in the engineering program, even making them match first-year schedules. “I credit it all to this one friend,” says Davies. “I needed that helping hand to just say, ‘I will be there as well—we can go through it together.’” They are still friends. Davies practises civil engineering, and her friend—also a woman—chemical engineering.

Today, they have built careers imagining, designing, and building systems for Albertans. Their journeys from eager university graduate to seasoned professional are full of wins and challenges—yet they share the experience of navigating a predominantly male industry and are clearing a path for future professionals.

A new landscape of learning

When she started her engineering education, Irwin was the only woman in her first class. “In a way, I was embarrassed that I was shocked I was the only woman. Before entering that classroom, I had not really thought about how male-dominated the field was.” Irwin was a minority, and it was lonely. “It’s not as easy to make friends, and not as easy to find your study buddies when you are so obviously different than the majority.” Before she stepped into her first engineering course, her life was pointed towards a more gender-stereotypical path for a woman. “It felt like I had suddenly found myself way out of my element and a little alone.”

Davies’ experience differed. Her friend, the woman who had encouraged her to enter engineering, was by her side in all of her classes, so even though she was in a program predominantly made up of men, she didn’t feel like an outsider. “Everyone always asked how many women there were in the program, and I would say, ‘Oh there are a few—that one over there, that one over there,’ you know? I mean, yes, you’re a minority, but everybody is still in the same boat of getting through the program.”

Irwin remained excited about engineering, even when people around her expressed doubt the program was a good fit for her. “There were professors who implied that I shouldn’t be there, that I was not smart enough. I had one tell me that I should choose a less competitive engineering discipline if I was set on pursuing the profession.” When she completed her mechanical engineering degree, she couldn’t believe she had done it. “There were so many barriers and subliminal messages that I did not belong, not to mention a lot of self-doubt along the way.” She admits, at times, it was her determination to prove not just that she could do it, but also that she could excel at it, that kept her going.

A positive influence on the profession

Irwin says once she realized that as an engineer, she could influence the development of society and be a positive force in the world, she felt like she was on the right track and was inspired by the possibility to effect change.

At one point in her career, Irwin discovered she was getting paid signigicantly less than men doing the same role at her company. “While the realization was infuriating, I believed even then that many of the biases occurring in the profession and in the energy industry are often underlying and unintentional.” She says she found that there’s a mindset that has been built on the legacy of the ”old boy’s club,” and explains the way opportunities are assigned and pay decisions are made leaves room for unconcious biases to have an outsized influence. Irwin resigned from that company and has since found a fulfilling job where she feels valued, combining her passions for innovation and sustainability.

As they grew their careers, both professional engineers realized there wasn’t an opportunity for dedicated mentorship from a woman in the profession. “When I was starting out at my first job out of university, there were only two women in the department of around 30 people,” says Irwin. She outlines having a manager who advocates for you can be a game-changer for your career. Now, she works hard to provide mentorship, support, and learning experiences for those she leads in her current role, enabling them to have the training and competencies that she found difficult to obtain earlier in her career.

Davies provides support by mentoring co-op students. Each year, she dedicates time to teaching a student in the field for a term, and then keeps in touch with many of them througout their careers, checking in and sharing advice. “I finally feel like an expert in my field, and I’m proud to share that knowledge with up-and-coming engineers.”

A focus on the future

Davies is also a member of APEGA’s Central Alberta Branch 30-by-30 Subcommittee, dedicated to helping reach APEGA’s goal of having women compose 30 per cent of registrants in engineering and geoscience by 2030.

“I want to see us meet our 30-by-30 goal—but it’s an ambitious goal,” she explains, saying she’s not seeing a lot of women in leadership roles in engineering. It’s challenging to see engineering as a welcoming space for women when she still encounters what can be referred to as benevolent sexism—well-intentioned behaviour that reinforces traditional gender roles—which can leave women feeling less competent than their peers, and like outsiders. Davies was once told she “wears her heart on her sleeve” after being turned down for a promotion. She reflects that she’s not sure the same feedback would have been given to a man, even though it was delivered with sincerity, and is still disappointed that being passionate about her job is somehow a flaw.

Her advice to women entering the professions is simple: Seek out other women in the professions. “I want to be someone that these women can look up to, or at least be a resource for. We all deserve to be here—I deserve to be here—so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just reach out. You’re not alone.”

Irwin reflects on why she’s passionate about practising engineering, “For me, it’s the breadth of opportunities to create positive change. Engineering is an incredible profession because it allows one to be part of so many impactful things. In a way, it embodies the phrase ‘the world is your oyster,’ and that is pretty cool.” She says it’s motivating to be a part of some of the solutions to the toughest challenges we all face.

This marks her optimism about breaking down some of the barriers that women face in the profession. Irwin says she has seen the percentage of women in the field increase over the last 15 years, and she feels like she has an influence on the future. “I’ve had more good—and more exciting—experiences than bad, and I have had these opportunities because of the women that went before me. I hope to pay it forward.”

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