This International Women in Engineering Day, we’re proud to celebrate some of the incredible women working across engineering and technical industries within organisations that support The Dome Youth Zone.
As we prepare to open our doors and inspire the next generation of young people, we know how important role models are. Seeing women thrive in engineering helps challenge stereotypes, broaden aspirations, and demonstrate that talent, curiosity and determination have no gender.
We asked some of our Founder Patrons to nominate inspiring women from their teams and share their stories.
Talia Corless, HGV Technician Apprentice, Boughey Logistics (NWF Group)
Nominated by Tim Moran, Managing Director at Boughey Logistics. Talia Corless is a HGV Technician Apprentice who is about to complete her apprenticeship. Tom highlighted Talia’s passion for her work, commitment to the business and the enthusiasm she brings to her role as she prepares to qualify next month.
For Talia, a passion for vehicles started at an early age.
“I always took an interest in cars and bikes, and I wanted to be able to work on them myself,” she explains. After studying motor vehicles at college and working on her own motorbike, she knew engineering was the right path. Encouraged by her father, who works as a truck driver at Boughey Logistics, Talia joined the company’s apprenticeship programme and is now preparing to complete her qualification.
Talia believes it’s important for young women to see that engineering careers are open to everyone.
“We are just as capable as anyone else of doing jobs that have traditionally been seen as male dominated.”
Her advice to young women considering the industry is simple: give it a go.
“This job has genuinely changed my life. It’s given me confidence, purpose and skills that I use every day. It has made me happier than I’ve ever been, and I couldn’t recommend it enough.”
Yelena Estepa, Bentley Motors
Nominated by Bentley’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Manager, Emma Humphries, Yelena is recognised for embracing every opportunity to learn and develop, while championing greater diversity within engineering.
Yelena’s passion comes from her love of problem-solving and understanding how things work.
“I’ve always enjoyed figuring things out and being hands-on. Engineering lets me solve real problems and see the impact of what I’m doing, which is incredibly rewarding.”
She believes greater representation leads to stronger outcomes.
“Engineering affects everyone, so it should include everyone too. Having more women in the industry brings different ideas and perspectives, which leads to better solutions.”
For young women considering engineering, Yelena encourages them to stay curious and trust themselves.
“There’s no one ‘type’ of engineer. Give things a go, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and remember that confidence builds over time.”
Maria de Odriozola Martinez, Bentley Motors
Also nominated by Emma Humphries, Maria is an inspiring engineering leader and Co-Chair of Bentley’s BeInspired Gender Balance Network. She is recognised for her technical expertise, collaborative leadership and commitment to creating a more inclusive engineering profession.
Growing up with two engineer parents, Maria was encouraged to be curious from an early age.
“I’ve always been fascinated by how things work and enjoyed solving problems. What attracted me to engineering was the opportunity to combine creativity with analytical thinking to develop solutions that make a real impact.”
Maria believes diversity is essential to innovation.
“Engineering shapes the products, technologies and systems that affect all our lives. To create the best solutions, we need diverse perspectives, experiences and ways of thinking.”
Through her work with Bentley’s women’s network, she has seen first-hand the difference representation can make.
“When young women see others succeeding in engineering, it helps them believe that they belong in the industry too.”
Her advice to future engineers is to push past self-doubt.
“You don’t need to know everything before you start, and you don’t need to fit a particular stereotype to be an engineer. Be curious, ask questions and have confidence in the unique perspective you bring.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
At The Dome Youth Zone, one of our key ambitions is to help young people discover the opportunities available to them and develop the confidence, skills and aspirations to achieve their potential.
Engineering plays a vital role in shaping our communities, economy and future workforce. By celebrating women like Talia, Yelena and Maria, we hope to inspire more young women to explore careers in STEM and recognise that engineering is a place where they can belong, thrive and lead.
To all the women making a difference across engineering and technical industries today, thank you for inspiring the next generation.
We would like to thank Yelena Estepa, Bentley, Maria de Odriozola Martinez, Bentley, and Talia Corless, NWF, for their insightful contributions to this blog post.