Voices

International Women’s Day 2022 – What does it mean to us here at Endomag?

Female endomag employee delivering presentation

This year’s International Women's Day honours the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, while attempting to #BreakTheBias and push for gender equality.

Here at Endomag it’s always been an aim of ours to support greater representation in the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), and improve the current workplace average of 28%.

We are fortunate to work with successful, inspiring women – whether it be our own highly-driven team across our technical, leadership and management roles (of which 51% of roles are held by women), or the most-skilled female physicians we help to support across the world.

To celebrate the incredible work of our colleagues, we spoke with three of our team’s rising stars to find out what it’s like to work in MedTech, the advice they’d give to young women starting out and what they think the future workplace looks like for women in STEM.

Can you tell us about the work you do at Endomag?

Alice: I’m a Senior Product Engineer working as part of the Product Engineering team at Endomag. I support the manufacture of our products, investigate, and implement product improvements and introduce new products coming to the market!

Mary: I work within the Marketing team as the Marketing and Events Coordinator, so I get to help on a wide range of projects and events which is always really exciting.

Jess: I’m a Clinical Applications Specialist at Endomag, which means I spend a lot of my time in operating rooms with surgeons offering product support. I get to travel around the UK (mostly the Midlands and London) and provide training and education on the Sentimag system.

Endomag female staff member testimonial

What do you think the future holds for women in the workplace?

Alice: I have worked with amazing women in MedTech but there could always be more of us! Diversity is important and this can be improved with awareness of the awesome careers and benefits of working in the industry. Universities, schools, and charities have been making great efforts to improve outreach and accessibility of a career in STEM.

I believe the next step is to tackle the unconscious bias and stereotypes within our industry, both in education and society.

Mary: It’s reassuring to be working in a company which fosters and promotes equality for both their male and female staff. Whilst there’s still a lot of work to be done for equality, especially within our industry, it feels like it’s heading in the right direction.

The pandemic has opened the flexibility of home working which is a great benefit for women who are faced with conflicting home and work priorities. Equally, it allows male staff to spend more time at home with families – something which hasn’t previously been widely available.

Jess: I feel very privileged to be part of a company that has so much equality for both men and women, however I do think there are still hurdles for women to overcome in the workplace. Quite often, women have primary responsibility for home and family matters, as well as time taken off on maternity leave, which could affect possible advances in their career.

Saying this, there is more flexibility now with home working as an example and I believe women will continue to have a positive impact in the workplace and equalize opportunities.

Endomag staff working through product design on a whiteboard

What women have inspired you in your life and career?

Alice: Tarana Burke who founded the #MeToo movement, celebrities who raised awareness, and all the people who have spoken out have been inspirational to me in their courage and strength. These people have changed the landscape for women by speaking out against sexual harassment and empowering others to speak out.

In my career I’ve had the privilege of working with many fantastic women. To name a couple; Ellie Morris and Niven Curtis-Woodcock. These are two inspirational women in engineering who have helped shape my career – encouraging me to speak my mind and engineer with a passion to improve people’s lives.

Jess: It wouldn’t be fair to pick just one woman who inspires me. I feel inspired by all the beautiful and strong women that I have in my life. They all bring so much in different ways with their fearlessness, commitment, determination, strength and love they give.

Mary: It would be impossible for me to pick just the one. For me, the most inspiring women are those that don’t let barriers stop them, be that in the workplace or in their personal life. I find it particularly inspiring to see women succeed in their career after starting a family. Any show of determination, confidence and persistence is always inspiring to witness.

Female employee sat with coffee

What advice would you give to young women starting out their career?

Jess: My advice would be to always take on new challenges, especially those out of your comfort zone. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a great way to grow.

Alice: It’s important to take time for you! Do things you enjoy, whether it’s running, Netflix or a good book. Though work can seem like the priority, stepping away and taking time out helps build resilience for when work gets challenging.

Mary: Never doubt yourself or your ability. Confidence is such an important trait to have and it’s something that I think can easily be lost. Always put yourself forward for new opportunities and know your worth.

 

For more information on International Women’s Day 2022 and what you can do to continue the conversation click here.