WIREDGOV

Women and girls must not be deterred from pursuing careers in male-dominated industries, such as science, technology and engineering.

This will be the message from Communities Minister, Lesley Griffiths, when she speaks at an event at Glyndwr University later today [Friday 2 October 2015].

The Girls Make a Difference conference aims to raise aspirations and show careers in less traditional roles are accessible to women in Wales.

Over 100 year 12 and 13 girls from across Wales will meet with a range of successful women – from sportspeople, to engineers and Royal Air Force programmers, to get advice and guidance on how to make it to the top in non-traditional job roles and STEM careers.

Female role models at the conference include:

• Alison Westcott, a mechanical design engineer at technology firm, Raytheon UK
• Royal Airforce Programmer, Corporal Clare Loughran 
• Alison J McMillan, professor in aerospace technology at Glyndŵr University
• Paralympian Pippa Britton
• Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Professor Julie Williams 
• as well as Cathrin Hughes and Ashleigh Clayton, who both hold management roles as Qioptiq, a photonic manufacturer which supplies the defence sector.​

The Minister said:

“I am honoured to be speaking at this event in front of many of our top female role models, as well as Wales’ future high flyers.

“The achievements of the women at today’s event show us no job is off limits to women and girls. However, it is important to hear about the obstacles successful women have faced along the way. We must acknowledge and address these barriers if we are to stop women from being shut out of certain careers and under-represented in many of our better paid jobs.

“Women make up 51% of our population in Wales and it is only right we see them fulfilling their potential and helping the Welsh economy to thrive.”

Professor Alison J McMillan added:

“Whether it is in the engineering design office or the board room, the insights of women can lead to profound changes - women's contribution in innovation means the development of products that improve women's and men's lives, and make a real difference to the profitability of a company."