When it comes to the energy transition, it’s time to be a superhero – we all have to wear our capes!

Female engineer

Business Developer, Madhu Basu, talks to us about what it’s like to work in the world of engineering at Siemens Energy and supporting the energy transition. 

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been with Siemens Energy now for over 10 years. Based in Aberdeen, my role is both an exciting and varied one. I’m mainly responsible for identifying cross divisional opportunities to position Siemens Energy to lead the UK energy transition for the North Sea.

 

It’s never been a greater time to be a female engineer. Being part of a business that’s driving through change and deploying innovative solutions to help meet our decarbonisation and net zero goals. To be playing a role in shaping and building that future is incredible.  A big focus for me has been looking at how we can work together with our partners including the North Sea Transition Authority, customers and employees to reach our ambitious goals. 

Navigating the world of engineering 

As a child growing up in India, I was surrounded by a family of engineers. So, I guess you could say it was in my blood! My Grandfather was a civil engineer, responsible for helping support the steam power plant infrastructure in India and, my cousins were also in the sector too. Never one to shy away from a bit of family competition, it got me thinking that perhaps I could be equally as good at it too. I didn’t mind getting my hands grubby, so I thought why not

However, being a female during that time certainly wasn’t without its challenges. As a heavily male-dominated industry, it was little surprise when I turned up at the Northern Power Training Institute in India for my bachelor’s degree to discover there were 57 boys to six girls. A quick makeshift dorm was duly put up for the women of the group to inhabit. 

 

I also recount a summer internship at a power plant in India where the HR manager came to greet us. The look on his face was a picture, as if to say, “What on earth is a girl doing here?” At times these responses can make you doubt yourself, but I was determined to achieve good things, make an impact and stick in when the going got tough.

 

Moving to the UK to study my Masters degree and then start my career was a conscious choice. It was still a very male dominated industry and there were many a times the “What would she know?” glare was flashed, but I felt confident about the potential to have a voice in the industry and carve out a real career here. A chance to make a footprint in the energy world. 

Shaping the future

After graduating I was lucky to start work at Siemens in Aberdeen, now Siemens Energy, and I’ve been at the company ever since.  It’s here I’ve been fortunate to work on some amazing projects to support the energy transition and road to net zero. The main opportunity being to create an integrated energy system that looks at repurposing existing infrastructure, away from fossil fuels. Combining electrification, wind power and renewables.

 

A large part of my role is about motivating and bringing the right people together to develop and deliver the services and solutions needed. Only when we work together can we achieve our goal.

'Let’s Innovate' Initiative 

In fact, it’s creating that shared understanding and getting everyone on board ‘the energy transition bus’ that is probably one of our biggest challenges. This is why I was excited to submit an idea to the Siemens Energy ‘Let’s Innovate’ initiative to develop an Energy Transition Game. The main focus of the game being to educate customers and society about the importance of the energy transition; because it’s only when we fully understand the why, when and what ifs, that we can truly be bought in and achieve the ambitious decarbonisation targets set.

 

Collaboration, working with our partners and continuing to innovate and invest in the right technologies will also be key moving forward. We need to encourage the right talent and more female engineers into key roles to help us realise those ambitions.

But the most rewarding part of what I do is playing a part in shaping the future for my children and children’s children to benefit from. Knowing that is pretty cool! It’s an exciting time to be part of the industry and we all have our chance to don our capes and be our own kind of superhero in the energy transition story. 

Inclusion & Diversity – raising the bar 

To achieve those targets though is also about having the right support and I’m lucky that Siemens Energy has provided this.  I’m proud to play an active role in the UK&I Inclusion & Diversity team and the company’s allyship campaign. Having allies across the business and people that will support and advocate for you is so important. Particularly in roles that may be subject to unconscious gender bias.  I’ve been fortunate to have the guidance of a number of key individuals across the business who have supported me in my career (and what I thought at the time was a rather daft board game idea!) These include Wes Tivnen, Bob Stephen and Sam Rotherham.

 

Similarly, I’m hoping I too can offer my support to others through allyship; particularly to women pursing engineering careers. To speak up and support diversity. To ensure everyone has the same rights, the same chances and the same room to grow.  

 

You can never be short of female role models! Outside of work I really admire the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. She was one of the first globally to nail down her ambitious net zero targets for 2050 and declare climate change as a real emergency. That and her headline-making capability for going on maternity leave just after becoming PM and taking her baby to a United Nations meeting was pretty impressive.  She is a true rockstar through and through and a great example of not being held back by gender stereotypes! 

Imagining the future  

The future of the energy industry is certainly exciting. It presents countless opportunities for those wanting a career in the sector, be that female engineers or otherwise.  As we see traditional infrastructures replaced with new processes, systems and technology; this gives rise to the need for exciting new skills and job roles.  Jobs that will require a diverse range of people and skills sets.  

 

With that I certainly think the ratio of female engineers will level out over time and I would strongly encourage anyone considering a role in the industry to just go for it. To not second guess yourself, to get stuck in and not let society’s perceptions hold you back.   The industry is at an exciting sea change and the best is yet to come!