Over the past decade, there has been a welcome increase in the number of women in engineering, but still only 16% of engineers in the UK are women; with similar statistics for the US and some countries in Europe, so there is still a long way to go. Here, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) explain how the company are inspiring more women to enter the exciting and varied world of engineering.
The unique perspectives and insights that female engineers bring to the table are invaluable, especially as the EV market expands to reach a wider consumer base. JLR firmly believe that female engineers are vital to the development of EVs.
This new era of technology requires a different approach to that of the past 100 years of ICE technology, and more diverse thinking is a key catalyst for innovation and different problem-solving strategies. This has helped to automotive giant to deliver on its carbon net zero aims and tackle climate change. It also a reason why the company is committed to recruiting, training and retaining an engaged, skilled workforce, while addressing issues such as the gender pay gap.
Policies: JLR has rolled out a pregnancy loss policy to support any employees who had experienced miscarriage (including ectopic or molar pregnancy) and stillbirth. Paternity pay has also been doubled. In addition, other future developments in its family-friendly policies will next year see JLR’s adoption and surrogacy leave extended to 52 weeks with full pay and additional paid time off for maternity-related appointments.
Menopause policy: Under the new policy JLR employees experiencing symptoms of menopause have the right to seek support at any time and from day one of their employment. There is no requirement for a medical certificate or other evidence in order to qualify for leave or workplace adjustments.
Here JLR share the inspiring stories of three remarkable women who have made significant contributions to the company, particularly in the development of Defender.
Miriam Mikusova, Facilities Lead Engineer
- Helped kit out JLR’s brand-new factory to produce Defender
- Set up an area to fine-tune Defender’s headlights and wheel alignment
- Says engineering careers are not just for men – nor is Defender!
When Miriam arrived at the Defender production facility in Nitra, it was still a building site. Her expertise helped kit it out to manufacture the reborn 4×4 icon. Construction and engineering experts converged on the site in Slovakia to get everything ready. As Facilities Lead Engineer, Miriam helped install machinery inside the new plant.
She was responsible for the offtrack area, where brand-new Defenders have elements like their headlight settings and wheel alignment checked after arriving from the trim-and-final section. It was a huge task. “We had walls, but nothing else. That’s what I saw when I first came here, but now it’s an absolutely amazing place,” said Miriam
“After a year we built the first vehicle on the line. It was such an interesting and exciting time – I loved it. I’m still really proud to work in Nitra for JLR and to work on Defender, because it’s such an amazing vehicle.”
Miriam began her engineering career with companies making components for vehicle manufacturers. After visiting a car factory, she knew one day that she would work for a manufacturer.
So, when JLR offered her a role at Nitra, there was only one answer. “It was my dream from when I was younger, so of course I wanted to work for JLR. Nitra is also close to my hometown!”
Engineering remains a majority male field, but Miriam is proof that talented women thrive at JLR. “We are all engineers – it doesn’t matter if you are a woman or a man. And I think engineering is such an interesting field for women to work in,” she added.
Emma Kowalczuk, Electromagnetics Chapter Lead
- A leading expert with a PhD in wireless communication, she was the first person in the business to work on electromagnetic simulation
- Navigation, streaming, calls and software-over-the-air updates all work better on Defender thanks to Emma and her team simulating antennas
Whenever Defender clients make calls on the go, stream music or follow satnav without interruption, some of the credit can go to Emma Kowalczuk and her team.
Most of us never question how all this tech works in harmony. However, Emma knows that it’s about finding the best place to put the car’s antennae for maximum performance. And about electromagnetic compatibility. Put simply, that’s the ability of separate bits of electronic equipment to do their jobs without interfering with each other. That’s called coupling and it’s important to avoid.
As JLR’s Electromagnetics Chapter Lead, Emma heads a team of expert engineers using computer simulations to tackle one key problem. “It’s basically how to get those electrical signals from outside the car inside to the customer, who could be downloading software over the air or streaming media on the go.”
People increasingly expect their cars to behave like a smartphone and Emma’s team understand this. “We want to emulate that connectivity and experience inside the car. Anything your phone can do, we want the car to be able to do as well. So it’s quite important to consider, for example, where the antennas are on the car. That can allow you to have basically the same functionality you get from a phone.”
That functionality includes remote updates. Emma’s work benefited JLR’s software-over-the-air (SOTA) technology, allowing Defender clients to receive updates without needing to visit their retailer. Recently that meant installing Amazon’s Alexa voice recognition, a bonus many clients may not have been expecting.
The antenna that makes this possible is inside a small fin-shaped pod located on Defender’s roof, towards the tailgate – with good reason. Making sure that worked properly was a big contribution to the entire project.
“If we put the antenna in a bad location it’s going to have a very slim chance of getting reception. You can put them in the bumper somewhere and it’s hidden, but the metal car body could block the communication link to the cellular base station and that’s a problem. We put them up there to give us the maximum connectivity performance.”
To understand how different electromagnetic signals are behaving and how they might affect each other, Emma and her team produce images that look a bit like car bodies with clouds around them. That’s all part of the fun, she thinks. “The really good thing about this is that you can visualise what the fields are doing. A lot of people call electro-magnetic communications ‘magic’, because sometimes you don’t know why you just can’t work out why there was a problem. But with the simulation you can actually see where the fields are and where the coupling is happening. It takes the magic out of it because you can visualise it.”
As well as communicating with the wider world, Defender sends messages between its on-board technologies. The team has worked on the radar system behind adaptive cruise control, the monitors for the driver’s blind spot and Defender’s tyre pressures.
Emma, who joined JLR in 2015, was the first person in the business to work on electromagnetic simulation. Her team has grown since then to eight, three of whom are women. “I’m very proud of the team for all the work they’ve done and the capability they’ve developed in this area.”
That capability originated in Emma’s childhood passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. “Science and maths has always been an interest of mine and I took those subjects at GCSE and A-level. I did have quite an interest in electronics and that’s why I studied electrical engineering at university. I did my PhD in wireless communication, so you can see me honing into an area as I go through.”
Her studies complete, Emma worked at a software company before bringing her skills to the automotive industry. With electronics growing ever more import in modern vehicles, her example should inspire many others to follow.
Andrea Kollarova, Supply Parts Quality and Launch Manager
- Keeps Defender production going by working with parts suppliers
- Proudly remembers seeing the first new Defender off the line
- Speaks up for women in automotive engineering and manufacturing
Thousands of parts go into every Defender, so working closely with the suppliers is vital. That’s Andrea’s job.
As Supply Parts Quality and Launch Manager for the Defender production line, Andrea leads a team connecting Defender’s production line with the third-party companies who make some of its components.
“If we get any kind of issue, if something is not OK with a supplier part, my team takes the initiative to sort it out. They contact the supplier and they contact our senior engineering colleagues. We are the first point of contact for our production to be sure that everything is running well.”
Andrea swapped sides when she joined JLR as a Manpower Planning Engineer in 2017 – she had begun her automotive career with a supplier firm.
“I was really curious about how all the processes and parts are connected, and how we would build the cars. I felt like Alice in Wonderland because I had never seen a whole factory and the building of the cars. I still get goose bumps when I remember the day the first finished Defender came down the line.”
JLR’s Defender and Discovery production facility in Nitra has a workforce that’s 34% female. And Andrea is part of a group speaking up for them. “We have a new project called Women in Business. We think about the female population, about how they really feel in our company and what they think is missing. Who is really listening? And do our talented women feel they can grow in the company?”
Andrea has certainly excelled in her time at JLR. And she wants to encourage others to do the same. “Be part of automotive. We are open for as many women as possible to join us and work on our Defender. Don’t be afraid – apply!”
Regardless of the day or week of the year, we must endeavour to highlight the vital need for diversity and inclusion in the engineering sector. By actively promoting and celebrating the achievements of women in engineering, we are paving the way for a more equitable and diverse engineering workforce for the future.
Let’s take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to promoting gender diversity in engineering. Together, we can create a more inclusive and thriving engineering industry that benefits everyone.
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