International Women in Engineering Day

Today marks the 9th annual International Women in Engineering Day #INWED22. Dedicated to raising the profile, and celebrating the achievements, of women in engineering, we spoke with three of our engineers within the Port Infrastructure Team at CMAL, Morven Bridges, head of engineering; Ruth McIntosh, principal planning engineer; and Corrie McCall, harbours engineer.

How did you get into engineering?

Morven: “I had a pretty conventional path if I’m honest and was very lucky to have teachers who encouraged me to get into STEM subjects at school. They showed me that it wasn’t just for boys. From secondary school, I went straight into studying civil engineering at university, and then secured a graduate engineering role. I’ve always been very outdoorsy, and I knew I wanted to be in a role where I wasn’t going to be inside all day, which is why I chose civil engineering.”

Ruth: “I was good at physics and maths at school and enjoyed building Lego, so studying civil engineering at university made sense to me. Ultimately, I wanted to make people’s lives better, and working in engineering allowed me to do that. What many people don’t know is that civil is short for civilisation; civil engineers design, build and maintain all types of infrastructure from roads to drainage systems, to houses. In my role it’s harbours and ports.”

Corrie: “I’m very logical, and I like to see things through until they are complete. My grandpa was always one for tinkering and pulling things apart, and I loved getting involved. At school, I excelled at sciences, so studying civil engineering at university felt like a good fit. I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming an engineer, but I followed what I enjoyed, and what I was good at.?Now, I’m in a career I really enjoy.”

When did you join CMAL?

Morven: “Before CMAL, I spent 14 years with Forestry and Land Scotland. I worked my way up over the years from recreation engineer to head of civil engineering, before joining CMAL as head of engineering in 2021.”

Ruth: “I’ve been with CMAL since 2008. Previously I was a consulting engineer specialising in port planning and maritime civil engineering and worked with CalMac as a client. It was a nice transition from advising the client to becoming the client.”

Corrie: “I joined CMAL in September 2021, following a role with Aberdeenshire Council as principal engineer. I managed and maintained seven harbours, although these were on a much smaller scale than the infrastructure I work on at CMAL. I’m now harbours engineer, and work with Ruth in the harbour assets and planning team.”

What does your role entail?

Morven: “One of the joys of being a civil engineer is the diversity of the role, from repairing a pothole in a marshalling area to delivering a new pier. As head of engineering, I look at how we work with consulting engineers and contractors and focus on developing those relationships. I consider ways of driving best practice in terms of contract strategy, health and safety, and also in using sustainable methods and materials. Another big part of my role is engaging with local communities to speak with the people our projects impact to explain what our plans are and gain their feedback. It’s vital we work with communities, as well as the harbour operator, CalMac, to minimise disruption during project work.”

Ruth: “I head up the harbour assets and planning team and look after the planning of infrastructure. I put long-term strategic plans in place, from identifying the needs for a new project through studies, to design conception. I also act as liaison between our steering groups and delivery team, resolving issues, and confirming developments are being implemented.”

Corrie: “Working with Ruth, I’m involved in listening to the local communities and service users to figure out what the pain points are and how we can help to mitigate or solve them. We work collaboratively with the vessels teams to ensure that our current ports and harbours are suitable, as well as futureproofing for our new hybrid ferries that require charging stations. We are managing infrastructure that many people rely on day to day, so not only are we considering tides and the weather, but how communities use the harbours and how to keep disruption to a minimum whilst ensuring we are completing our projects. It’s challenging, but extremely rewarding as well.”??

What would you tell someone considering engineering?

Morven “Keep your eyes and options open and don’t be afraid to take advantage of opportunities that come your way. I came across my first role at FLS through an advert in a mountain biking magazine! I love what I do, it is a great fit for me, and I wouldn’t have ended up in this role had I not been open to something a bit different.”

Ruth: “Engineering is a great career to make a real difference to the quality of people’s lives. I have been able to see the world, and my work at CMAL has had hugely positive impacts on the communities that rely on ferry services.”

Corrie: “There are so many different branches, there are so many different niches within the industry. As a civil engineer, I get to use the logical side of my brain to solve problems and bring solutions and ideas to life, and I’ve found a niche I really enjoy.”

To find out more about the work CMAL does to support Scotland's ports, harbours and ferries, head to the website: https://ow.ly/oQu150JAegl