The Business Unit Digital Grid of Siemens Serbia has just received an award as 2021’s best team in the domain of digital grids in the CEE region, which – apart from Austria – includes Romania, Czechia, Poland… and this award merely confirms this department’s knowhow and teamwork
Siemens is a company that provides many opportunities for learning and training; a company that doesn’t differentiate between male or female engineers or staff of other education profiles, but rather values work and knowhow.
You work for a company that symbolises innovation and technical expertise. Statistics show that men account for the largest percentage of engineers. Does Siemens empower female engineers? What has your experience been like?
During my career, I’ve had opportunities to work at several companies in different positions and to advance over time. I’ve always been motivated by my need to work and learn, which was recognised by my managers and colleagues and created new opportunities. I think that personal engagement and working constantly on oneself are extremely important for development, particularly at the beginning of one’s career.
It was 18 years ago that I started working at Siemens, and over the last two years I’ve headed the “smart grid” team. Siemens is a company that provides many opportunities, primarily for learning and specialised training, and the possibilities are endless if you have that personal urge to learn. Although my team comprises mainly men, when it comes to gender equality, I work for a company that doesn’t differentiate between male or female engineers or staff of other education profiles, but rather values work and knowhow.
The very possibility of working from home brings a new concept for organising life and “buys” a little time for both men and women in their daily activities
However, the fact remains that there are more men working in engineering, but I’ve also noticed that this trend is shifting when it comes to the younger generations, which I welcome warmly. The colleagues in my team are experts in their work, professional and dedicated, and I see my role in supporting the further development of everyone in the team and motivating us to continue achieving successes.
There will be an ever-increasing need for “smart grids” because, alongside “smart buildings”, we will also have “smart cities”, “smart traffic” etc. Will that ease life for everyone, especially us women, by “buying” us a little of the time that we’re lacking?
Life is fast and the changing lifestyle is visible from year to year. Digitalisation definitely brings benefits to life. We are all users of various electronic services that save us time, and the very possibility of working from home – as part of the digitalisation process – brings a new concept for organising life in general and “buys” a little time for both men and women in their daily activities.
When it comes to the smart grids that we deal with, they relate primarily to the electrical power system, i.e., to solutions for the high-quality and reliable supplying of power – digitalisation in energy. Siemens is an innovation leader in this area, and our mission is to bring the latest technologies that are applied around the world closer to our customers and for us to together create solutions that cater to the needs of the local market.
What advice would you offer to women who are at the beginning of their careers?
Learn, work, be brave, be ready for new tasks and be proactive. Seek to be engaged, because in that way you will become an important part of the team and will be recognised in the right way. It is very important to work in a team and to share experiences and knowledge, but it is also important to take the lead and responsibility in a certain area. That’s how you gain self-confidence, and everything is then easier.
