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igem news

Ahead of International Women in Engineering Day (INWED)
on 23 June, IGEM Marketing Assistant Jodie Shepherd spoke to
Lowri Beck’s Laura-Lee Oxley about her life in the gas industry
and the role IGEM has played in her career development

LAURA-LEE OXLEY is a Field Services to the Hydrogen Knowledge Centre,”
Audit Manager at smart metering firm she added. “I don’t think I have yet
Lowri Beck Services. Her career began experienced the full benefits of being
over six years ago, at the age of 21, an IGEM member due to Covid-19, but
when she started working as an Admin that hasn’t stopped me from forming
Assistant at a small gas metering several connections with other IGEM
company. Since then, she has worked members and expanding my network.
her way through the ranks, and says I hope that being an IGEM member will
that she has “thoroughly enjoyed every not only help me with my career, but
minute of the journey”. also allow me to help others with theirs. LAURA LEE OXLEY
The bulk of Laura’s career in the gas “I would say there is a noticeable void
industry has been in an Operations/ between managerial IGEM members and “I would also say a massive thank
Team Manager capacity but, in her the downstream engineering area. I hold you to Dominic Dawes, who is the
current role, it is her responsibility to close connections with this particular Gas Technical Manager at the same
structure, conduct, monitor, and report area, and I hope to work with IGEM to company I work for (he’s also EngTech).
routine audits to ensure that Metering broaden the diversity of members by He has helped me with my study to no
Operations achieves its targets for the encouraging not only more women into end and has kept me motivated to see it
company’s nationwide workforce of engineering, but more downstream through to the end,” she said.
engineers. She also manages the remote engineers into the world of IGEM.” Her advice for women wanting to get
technical support desk function to ensure into the engineering industry? “Do it!
engineers are safe and are following the Don’t get me wrong, I have overcome
company’s processes and procedures. several challenges during my time in
“Being a member of IGEM has the gas industry, from misogynistic
allowed me to be closer to industry comments to being completely
information that I am able to share overlooked and ignored. What I will
with my team as and when required. say is the support and encouragement
The role of Audit Manager is a brand- I have received has hugely outweighed
new challenge for me, and I have been the negativity. I have worked with and
fortunate enough to have a strong spoken to some amazing men and
support network both in the workplace women in engineering since starting my
and out,” she said. journey, many who became mentors to
As a big believer in continuing me. I’d like to think I could pass this on
professional development, Laura and do the same for other women hoping
enrolled on an evening gas course in to explore a career in engineering.
September 2020 and says that she has a “If engineering is something that you
few reasons for doing this: “I wanted to are interested in, my advice would be
gain a better understanding and develop to get out there and spend some time
my knowledge of the industry I work in. I in the field with other engineers first.
must admit, I massively underestimated “I wanted to increase the The most important element of any
the vast amount of knowledge required career is to enjoy what you do and,
to become a qualified gas engineer. presence of women in whilst I appreciate being approached
It has certainly made me more engineering, and to help to create articles such as this one, I
sympathetic of the engineer’s job role encourage more women into hope in years to come we won’t need
now that I’ve realised just how much is to create targeted campaigns to attract
involved. I was actually the first female the industry. I always enjoy women into engineering. We have a
to train as a gas engineer at the training speaking with new people and lot of work to do to normalise women
centre I trained at.” expanding my network, and in engineering, but I’m confident that
For Laura, there were a number of IGEM is a brilliant platform for together it can be achieved.”
reasons for becoming an IGEM member. In terms of what is next for Laura,
She said: “I wanted to increase the this. I believe the best results are she’s aiming to become a Mental Health
presence of women in engineering, and achieved through collaboration” First Aid Champion and obtain her
to help encourage more women into the IOSH Managing Safely qualification as a
industry. I always enjoy speaking with In terms of people who inspire her, minimum this year.
new people and expanding my network, Laura points to IGEM members Steve “Once I have qualified as a gas
and IGEM is a brilliant platform for this. Critchlow and Dave Tomkin, saying: “I engineer, I will be looking to upgrade
I believe the best results are achieved love reading Steve’s content on LinkedIn my IGEM membership to EngTech,”
through collaboration,” she said. and his passion for the industry. Dave she said, adding that she would like to
“Being a member of IGEM has has been a brilliant mentor for me, become more involved in both IGEM
really opened my eyes to the wider helping with any questions I have and campaigns to encourage women
industry, especially with the access regardless of the time of day. into engineering.

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