College friends carve out dream careers as engineers at the same company

Jess and Freya secured two of 14 places on the Engineering Training Programme of gas network Cadent, for which hundreds applied.

They recently graduated, after two years of on-the-job and classroom-based study, and are now key members of a team keeping millions warm in their homes.

Jess, 22, from Preston, works as an Engineering Assistant in Cadent’s North West Investment Planning Office, helping to deliver a multi-billion-pound upgrade of the gas network, ready for the introduction of greener gases.

Freya, also 22, from Burscough, is a Pipeline Engineer. She is part of a team which inspects, maintains and upgrades high pressure gas pipelines.

Four years on from studying for a BTEC in Engineering at Runshaw College, their story is being shared as part of an annual celebration of the amazing work of women engineers worldwide – as part of International Women in Engineering Day (23 June).

This is also an opportunity to spotlight engineering as a great career choice for women. According to research, just 16.5 per cent of engineers in the UK are women.

Jess said: “When I was at high school, in Year 8, I went to an engineering weekend at Manchester University. I knew then that I wanted to be an engineer. For me, it’s the problem-solving and planning of the project, that’s what I enjoy. My dad is super proud too!” [Her dad worked for 40 years as a gas engineer]

“I’ve always been a hands-on person, doing DIY and fixing up cars with my dad,” added Freya. “So engineering was something that’s interested me for a long time.”

Both are keen to encourage more women to consider engineering as a career option – and they often pop back into Runshaw College to talk to students about it.

“The fact that there are women in top positions in engineering speaks volumes,” said Freya. “Our director of engineering at Cadent is a woman and it really inspires you to think that there is no limit to what you can achieve as an engineer.”

She added: “Young girls probably convince themselves that they will not get a fair opportunity and choose a safer option. But I can honestly say that I have been supported every step of the way and it’s clear that things are changing.”

On their close friendship, Jess said: “People think we’re sisters because we’re glued to the hip!” Freya added: “It’s great having Jess here at Cadent too; we are always there to help each other out, even though we are now in different teams.”

Cadent’s future talent programme offers a range of tailored training programmes and apprenticeships for anyone looking to start a career in engineering. To learn more about these and careers for qualified engineers, visit careers.cadentgas.com

Hilary Buxton is Director of Engineering at Cadent. She said: “More than 30 of the 100 engineers in my immediate team are women, and we have seen a 30 per cent increase in female applications to our future engineering programme. We are making great progress where the environment we have created enables women to thrive.”

Cadent employs around 1,200 people in the North West. It is responsible for maintaining and upgrading more than 21,000 miles of (mostly) underground gas distribution pipes and providing a 24/7, 365-days-a-year gas emergency service.