Women in STEM Event 2025

“Usually when people think about a mechanic, they think about a man” said Kate Babbage from Sir John Hunt Community Sports College after attending the Women in STEM Event held at the Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre. “I think it is very important that women learn about different careers in engineering and are encouraged to try jobs which have traditionally been done by men”.

Millie Gale from Plymstock School agrees. “Some women think that they can’t do engineering – this event has encouraged us to think about careers in engineering and other STEM subjects”.

“I came here to see behind the scenes of the Tamar Bridge and find out how it was built, and all the different jobs that are needed to maintain it “ added fellow Sir John Hunt student Lily Mills. “It was great to have the opportunity to go underneath the bridge, and to talk to female engineers from different companies and organisations about the work they do”.

The event, hosted by Tamar Crossings, saw around than 200 young women from Plymstock, Saltash, Sir John Hunt, All Saints Academy, Marine Academy Plymouth and Ivybridge College visit the Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre to learn about careers in engineering from a range of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) businesses, educational and training providers.

As well as Tamar Crossings, these included Focus Training, Babcock and Aecom.

Organised by the Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre in partnership with YMCA Plymouth, the event was part of the annual International Women in Engineering Day activities. Celebrated around the world in June to honour women in the field of engineering, the aim is to raise the profile of women who are changing the field of engineering one degree at a time.

“There is a strong focus from the Government right now on encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM and to consider the wide variety of roles available in engineering,” said Sarah Newberry from YMCA Plymouth. “This event is hugely important because many young girls still associate engineering with hard hats and high-vis jackets, without realising just how diverse and exciting the sector really is.

“Women in STEM is about giving them the opportunity to explore different career paths, get hands-on experience, and hear first-hand from female engineers who are already working in these industries.”

YMCA Plymouth has been supporting young people for over 150 years, and providing guidance and opportunities for personal development remains one of its key strategic objectives.”

As well as visiting the learning centre and walking onto, and going underneath, the iconic Tamar Bridge, students had the opportunity to tackle a range of practical activities, including wiring plugs, building towers and model bridges, learning about water pressure and plumbing.

They also heard stories from women already working in engineering and other STEM careers. Guest speakers included Lily Abraham and Beverly Urbans from Babcock and Aecom Engineering.

“We know from feedback that when young people come to this event, they are inspired” said Sarah. “They get to have really meaningful encounters with employers and, by listening to female entrepreneurs explaining about their journeys, discover the many different careers engineering will lead them into. “

This is the third year Tamar Crossings has worked with the YMCA to host this event. Visitor Experience Manager for the Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre Jane Cooper is delighted to have the opportunity to hep inspire young women to consider careers around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“Tamar Crossings is all about STEM” she said. “A huge amount of engineering and mathematics goes on every day to make sure that traffic moves safely over the Tamar Bridge and the ferries keep operating across the river. We've got great engineers working across both sites, making sure that both of those facilities run for the people of Plymouth, Devon, and Cornwall.

“We know that women haven't been as much involved in the world of STEM careers as men have been. We want to show our local young women just how many opportunities there are, and hopefully encourage some of them to come and work at Tamar Crossings one day to support these really important structures that are part of our everyday lives.”

For mechanical engineer Helen Horner, who works for Babcock International, the day was all about engaging with the young women and girls currently in schools to encourage them to consider careers in engineering.

“We know that female engineers bring a different perspective to a team” she said. “At Babcock we are working hard to encourage more women into this field of work”.

Engineer Bev Urbans, an Associate with global company Aecom, says that while things have been improving, there is still more work to do to encourage young women to become engineers. “When I started my career a number of years ago, there weren't that many female engineers. This is now changing, with a lot more female engineers in senior roles.

“My message to young women is that if you enjoy STEM subjects and you want to do engineering, you should just go for what you enjoy. And there's really no limit to what you can achieve”.

Saltash Community School Year 10 student Emily Dingle is not sure if she wants to pursue a career in engineering but says that the opportunity to visit the Tamar Bridge and actually see the kind of jobs which would be available in practice has been incredibly useful.

“It has been very interesting to see the different skills that are required to do the different jobs, and it has definitely made me think “.

Year 10 student Brooke Eady, from Plymstock School, has always had a love of science and is hoping to pursue a career in marine biology. “I am looking at this option as it will enable me to do something I love at the same time as helping to protect the seas because they're not looking too good at this point in time.

“This event offers a wide picture of the different careers that are available with STEM subjects and shows that science isn't just what you do in the classroom”.