Royal Academy of Engineering Role Model Nomination

Congratulations to Jen Parkins, our Production Engineer, who has been nominated as a Royal Academy of Engineering Role Model.

Recognised alongside 79 others from across the UK, she is committed to inspiring and exciting young people about the possibilities of engineering. Through her involvement in multiple STEM projects throughout the year and her dedication to addressing the unique challenges women face in the workplace, she promotes engineering as a field where everyone can thrive.

Since November 2019, the Academy has led a national awareness day to raise public awareness of how engineers make a difference in the world and celebrate how engineers shape the future. Research shows that engineering-specific role models are a strong influencing factor on young people to choose engineering.  In the summer of 2024 the Academy launched a public call for nominations of engineering role models and received 158 nominations.

Today, on National Engineering Day, we join her in celebrating the visibility of the UK’s engineers and the vital role they play in improving everyday lives and shaping the world around us. Of today’s engineering workforce only 15.7% are women and 11.4% are minority ethnic. That statistic must change if we are to engineer a more inclusive and better future.