International Women in Engineering Day: empowering women to power the future

We know that solving the climate crisis takes more than cutting-edge technology — it takes people with vision, resilience, and fresh ideas. This International Women in Engineering Day we celebrate just a few of the brilliant women across E.ON who are not only delivering solutions for a greener future but also reshaping what leadership in energy looks like.

Meet Laura Frost, Electric Vehicle Manager at E.ON, as she shares her journey as a woman in engineering — from solving real-world challenges in sustainable transport to leading teams that are driving the electric vehicle transition.

Why women matter in engineering

For too long, engineering has been seen as a male-dominated field. We’re working hard to change that — because we know that gender-balanced teams spark better ideas, deeper insight, and stronger results.

As Mike Wake, Director of Operations for EIS UK and Chair of E.ON’s Engineering and Technical Talent Development Network, explains:

"Diverse and inclusive teams are crucial for driving innovation and success in engineering as it brings a broader range of perspectives, experiences, knowledge and skills to the table. In short – it leads to better outcomes for customers, colleagues and the business."

Women bring unique experiences, perspectives and leadership styles that are essential to solving the complex challenges of the energy transition. That’s why we’re creating an environment where everyone can thrive — from early careers to senior leadership. Because fairer, more diverse, more inclusive teams across our business help us attract and retain the best talent, which in turn means we deliver the best results for our customers.

Hear from another of our inspiring women in engineering: Sam Coverdale, Field Team Leader at E.ON, as she shares how she’s contributing to improvements, consistently learning and achieving a great sense of accomplishment in her engineering role.

Real progress, real people

We’re proud that 44% of our UK Executive Board are women, and we’re working every day to push that progress deeper into our engineering and technical teams. E.ON offers mentoring and sponsorship schemes specifically designed to support colleagues in STEM roles and help them progress into leadership.

We ensure gender-balanced recruitment panels and have inclusive recruitment processes, which are just part of how we drive inclusion in every part of our business. Plus, we have introduced flexible working policies that support employees at all stages of life and career, allowing for better work–life balance and increased opportunity for everyone.

We also support development networks, such as Fast Forward, which create spaces for women to connect, share experiences, and advocate for positive change within the organisation.

And the impact is real. From women apprentices designing the grid of the future to project engineers leading on net zero initiatives, women at E.ON are innovating, influencing and inspiring across the business.

For Emma Clay, Project Delivery Engineer in our Lighting & Grid team, engineering has been a lifelong love affair:

“From a young age I was very practical and loved figuring things out. From following the plumber round our house as he installed central heating to getting involved in my parents’ DIY activities, I was always interested in learning more. I’ve always been very passionate about helping the planet become greener and reach net zero so when a job came up with street lighting at E.ON, I jumped at the chance. And now I can not only continue a career in engineering, but also help local authorities consume less energy!”

You can truly see the passion Emma has for helping others through engineering when talking through one of the projects she’s currently working on:

“I’m working with a school in Coventry to install streetlights. And what makes this project even more exciting is we can work with the school to show the pupils how streetlights are installed, potentially opening up new career paths for them to consider and show them a possible new career path to investigate and the comparison between solar and mains.”

And when it comes to getting other women into engineering, Emma is committed to supporting them and proudly states she’s never once regretted her choice to work in engineering despite its challenges:

“I am passionate about encouraging women who are interested in engineering to pursue a career in this sector. Women have so much to offer when it comes to engineering, from methodical thinking to passion and drive.

“Yet I have faced many challenges as a woman in engineering. I have faced discrimination against male colleagues who have doubted my capabilities. I have faced discrimination from females who have required me to validate my skills, and I have faced harassment with previous employers. Each time I faced a challenge I have been able to prove to others and myself that I am worth it, I can achieve whatever I set my mind to, and over time, others' opinions have become a lot less important to me. And I still love the expressions on some peoples face when I tell then what I have done and what I am doing!”

We won’t leave anyone behind

Our commitment to gender equality is part of a much bigger picture. We believe diversity and inclusion are fundamental to sustainability and to attracting and retaining the best people. That’s why we’re focused on ensuring all our colleagues feel valued and respected — regardless of gender, background or ability.

• We are proud to be recognised as a Disability Confident Employer, showing our commitment to supporting employees with visible and invisible disabilities.
• We are a signatory of the Race at Work Charter, which holds us accountable for ensuring that ethnic minority colleagues are represented and supported across the organisation.
• We have recently been named as one of the Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work for 2025, reinforcing our efforts to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in every part of our business and create a workplace where colleagues feel comfortable and can thrive.

Above all, we are committed to creating a culture where everyone can contribute to the green transition — and succeed while doing it.

Becky Nash, one of our Street Lighting Apprentices, shares her experience of working as a woman in engineering and her advice for others looking to follow a similar career path:

“ For me women in engineering are something to be celebrated. It’s quite an unconventional career path which wasn’t offered to me at school, and it wasn’t until I did work experience with an electrical distribution network that I found the passion for engineering and electrics I have today. I’m really proud of my class 2 lorry licence. I jumped at the chance to do it as it’s always something I thought would be really cool to say I can drive lorries. I can now drive all the vehicles at the yard and the lorries everyday going to and from site.

“If you’re a woman looking to start an engineering career, it might seem daunting especially with the engineering sector being so heavily male dominated for years. But it’s important to remember you have just as much of a right to pursue a career in engineering as anyone else. You may not have the strength of the men you’re surrounded by, but you definitely have the mental strength and ambition. Remember you deserve to be there too.

“Everyone deserves to be happy in their career. It shouldn’t matter who you are or what you do as long as you’re happy.”

To the women who engineer our future

On this International Women in Engineering Day, we celebrate the women across E.ON who are building a better future — not just for our business, but for the planet. Whether you’re in an apprenticeship or the boardroom, in data, design, or deployment — your work matters, and your voice is needed.