PROGRESSIVE, Diverse, Egalitarian. Not normally words you associate with a 25 year old engineering company in the heart of West Yorkshire, but all three apply to HpE Process Ltd which celebrates its silver anniversary this year.
People are more likely to view such a company as old school, male dominated and stuck in the mud, but here at HpE Process Ltd we have been quietly pioneering changes that will see us grow in our next 25 years.
Our diversity policy means HpE Process Ltd employs the best person for the job whether they are male or female providing opportunities for all.
Outdated and often wrong perceptions of manufacturing and engineering companies, have impacted on women’s ambition to join such companies.
There is a sense that historical gender bias excludes woman from core managerial roles such as production and operations managers, which are key to climbing the success ladder.
HpE Process Ltd is a progressive, dynamic company and has been in business for 25 years thanks in no small part to having a woman in a key roles. I was appointed Operations Director at HpE in 2009 and we now have a female account manager, Libby Peacock.
Working in a male dominated industry has its difficulties; you have to go the extra mile to earn and keep the respect of your male colleagues, you need to be better organised, more efficient, more assertive, not to mention have a thick skin and a good sense of humour. Banter is a must when working with a majority male environment, you have to give as well as you get.
But the rewards outweigh any downside. I have learnt so much, have an amazingly rewarding job being part of a team creating effective solutions to industry and in recent years helped weather some tough economic storms to see the company emerge fitter, stronger and more ambitious.
Yes it can be tough in a male dominated environment, but it’s the best place for any woman to carve out a great career – I just wish more women would aspire to engineering and manufacturing.