Women in Engineering Day 2021: Alexandra Hughes interview

COPA-DATA is a strong advocate for inclusivity. So in honour of Women in Engineering Day 2021, we've interviewed Alexandra Hughes, our Pharmaceutical Industry Sales Manager, about her time so far with the company and her thoughts on the industry as a whole.?

How have you found your first 6 months at COPA-DATA?

The past 6 months at COPA-DATA have been amazing and I have learnt so much with the help and support of the whole team.

How or why did you choose Engineering as a career path??

I’d always had a natural curiosity into the ‘how's’ and ‘why's’ of the world. I studied Biomedical Science at university, but still felt I had more to offer in the practical application of science and technology. Engineering allows me to combine that innate inquisitiveness and be creative when looking for solutions.

What inspires you about Automation Engineering?

Automation engineering centres around improvement; finding better, easier, quicker, safer, more efficient ways of operating. It’s always inspiring to hear about people’s ideas and motivations for improvement every day and show them the possibilities with digital transformation.

What challenges do women face in the Engineering professions?

Women are still quite outnumbered in STEM industries so there are fewer role models to inspire your journey into the field. And you do often get a look of surprise when you mention you work in engineering but I tend to see that as an opportunity – I get to be a part of changing people’s perceptions and hopefully diversify what engineering looks like in the future.

What is the most exciting thing about your job?

The most exciting thing about the job is that every day is different, I can be discussing vastly different topics and requirements from one conversation to the next, from advising on regulatory compliance to measuring production efficiency to analysing energy consumption.

What are your hopes for the future of Engineering?

I hope we can continue to encourage and support women coming into the engineering industry. Engineering is such an ever-advancing field, and I hope the next generation of women in engineering can know they have a lot to offer in boosting that trajectory.