During the week of International Women in Engineering Day, it is important to acknowledge the women making an impact across engineering, technology, and industrial sectors. Their influence continues well beyond this week, shaping the future of these industries every day. From driving innovation to shaping workplace culture, women have played a vital role in defining industries that have historically been male-dominated.
While the number of women in STEM continues to grow, there is still significant progress to be made. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project’s 2025 report, women make up 35% of the U.S. STEM workforce, despite accounting for 48% of the total workforce. Leaders such as Susan Odle, CEO at StorMagic, and Leanne Taylor, CEO at Syspro, highlight why resilience, early encouragement, diverse perspectives and cultural change are essential to building a stronger future for women in technology and engineering.
Susan Odle, CEO at StorMagic
“The technology playing field is changing, and while technical knowledge remains vital, resilience has become equally important. Priorities are constantly shifting due to economic and geopolitical uncertainty, which is now a part of everyday work experience. Those who succeed in this environment need to develop chaos management skills. Individuals and organisations alike need to to continue to move forward, even when facing constant change.
Constant change is challenging, but this is where women make a real impact, as many of us have already had to adapt to environments that were not designed with us in mind. When I entered the workforce, it was transparently a man’s world, and I had to make a conscious choice to become a part of it. While the nature of the challenge may have changed, the ability to persevere and succeed despite complexity is exactly how women will continue to shape the future of technology.
It starts with early encouragement of women to enter technical industries, so that we can welcome more perspectives into the room. Young women need to be given the space to be curious so that they can discover their passion. Teachers, parents, mentors and industry leaders all have a role to play in exposing them to STEM. By creating and supporting those opportunities early, we can help young girls establish and build the inherent belief that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
To any woman who is considering a technology path, go for it, because you never know where it could lead. While it won’t be a straightforward journey, nothing worth achieving is.”
Leanne Taylor, CEO at Syspro
“I’ve spent my career in an industry that hasn’t always made it easy for women to be at the forefront. That’s changing, but not fast enough.
Currently, the engineering talent gap in the manufacturing and distribution industry is very real. Women remain significantly underrepresented across engineering disciplines, and manufacturing has a longer road to travel than most sectors. But I’ve seen what happens when organizations commit to changing that, not through initiatives alone, but through conscious everyday decisions that are implemented in an organization’s culture.
What I’ve learnt over the years is that when you put capable women in the room as problem-solvers and decision-makers, not just as a token presence, that is when outcomes really improve. This matters even more as AI becomes embedded within manufacturing and distribution at pace. The systems being designed today will shape the industry for the next decade and who builds those systems is not a diversity checkbox. It’s a question of who has the abilities we need to succeed.
On International Women in Engineering Day, my advice to the young women considering a career in engineering or industrial technology is this: this industry needs your perspective and contribution. The obstacles may still be there, but so is the opportunity to shape something that matters.”
Odle and Taylor’s comments show that progress for women in engineering and technology depends on both opportunity and support. Their perspectives highlight the importance of encouraging women early, valuing their ideas and giving them a role in shaping decisions. As more women enter and lead across these fields, their impact will continue to strengthen the future of STEM fields.
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