Striving for Balance this International Women's Day

This year, we asked some women of Applus+ to share their thoughts on the theme, “Balance for Better” and what International Women’s Day means to them.

Tarryn Scott – Inspection Engineer

International Women’s Day is important to me to honour those who paved the way for women in engineering. This year, I attended the Engineer’s Australia IWD2019 Perth Conference and was lucky enough to hear a speech from Turia Pitt, a female mining engineer and ironman athlete. She shared a very inspiring personal story about the power of consistency and never giving up in the face of adversity. When people had lower expectations of her purely due to gender that fuelled her motivation to push harder and go further.

For me, "Balance for Better" is about pushing for change and increasing conversation about equality as a whole in order to forge a balanced society for the future.

Jessica Stevenson – Finance Manager

I feel very fortunate to be a woman in 2019. Our predecessors have helped pave the way and the role of a woman has evolved immensely over the years. In today’s world, we have unlimited options as to what we can achieve. As Michelle Obama has quoted "there is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." We are ambitious, intelligent, nurturing and strong, all the while looking fabulous and wearing heels!

As men and women, it is our unique differences that bring about our strengths. It is our diversity that promotes different points of view, innovation and creativity. Our uniqueness is what allows for those differences to be an asset and together our collaboration breeds growth.

“Here’s to strong women, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them”

Tegan West – Human Resources Advisor

Diversity, fairness and equality in the workplace are very important to me as a HR practitioner. I believe that the business can only benefit from collaboration between employees with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. It has been fantastic to see so many new female technicians joining the team this year; I hope that we can continue to support initiatives to increase female participation in our industry and prove that girls and women can do and be whatever they want to.

Kaylene Anderson – Senior Quality Advisor

Working at Applus+ means working in an industry that is heavily dominated by men.  To me, "Balance for Better" means striving to get women into all areas of the business, not just those that have historically been more female orientated.  I would love to see more female managers, supervisors, technicians and technical specialists.  International Women’s Day is about celebrating educated, skilled and opinionated women who are helping to close the gender gap.

Lyndall Yon – Project Coordinator

"Balance for Better" to me, means just that; balance for a better today, balance for a better tomorrow and balance for a better future. Creating increased gender diversity is of utmost importance to show everybody, women and men, girls and boys, that we are all equal, we are all worthy and that we are all important.

Siobhan Cranston – Human Resources Officer