International Women’s Day provides us with an opportunity to recognise the contribution women make across the engineering and energy sectors while also reflecting on the work still to be done.
In the UK, women represent just 16.9% of the engineering workforce according to EngineeringUK in 2025 [EngineeringUK]. Within specialist electrical disciplines such as power systems engineering, representation remains even lower. While progress continues, attracting and supporting talent remains essential as the energy sector evolves.
At Enspec, women contribute across a wide range of roles, including power systems engineering, technical consultancy, marketing, finance, operations and executive leadership. Their work supports the delivery of grid connection studies, power quality solutions and technical consultancy projects across international electricity networks.
For Enspec CEO Mara Rastall, International Women’s Day is also about advocacy and the role the industry plays in supporting future engineers.
“One of the most important aspects of International Women’s Day is advocacy. Progress in engineering does not happen in isolation. It comes from people across the industry working together to support talent, open opportunities and encourage the next generation to pursue technical careers.”
Women in power systems engineering and the energy transition
Power systems engineers play a central role in the transition towards more complex and dynamic electricity networks. As renewable generation increases and grid infrastructure evolves, engineers are addressing challenges related to network stability, system performance and the integration of new technologies.
For many engineers, the opportunity to work on these challenges is what first attracted them to the profession.
Dhruti Shah, Senior Power System Engineer at Enspec, explains:
“Power systems today are at the heart of the energy transition. We are solving technically complex problems that have real societal impact – from integrating renewables to maintaining grid stability.”
As electricity systems continue to evolve, engineers working in areas such as power system analysis, renewable integration and grid compliance will play an increasingly important role in maintaining reliable networks.
Representation in engineering
Engineering has historically been a male dominated profession, but the industry continues to evolve. Increasing visibility of engineers from a wider range of backgrounds helps demonstrate the opportunities available within the sector.
Sushumna Raja, Power Systems Engineer at Enspec, highlights why representation matters.
“Being a woman in engineering has certainly made me more aware of the importance of representation in technical fields. While the industry has progress to make, my experience has largely been positive and has motivated me to continue growing in the field.”
Encouraging more people to pursue engineering careers helps ensure the sector continues to benefit from the strongest possible talent as electricity systems become more complex.
Looking ahead
As the global energy system continues to change, the demand for skilled engineers will continue to grow. The transition to low carbon generation, the integration of renewable energy and the increasing complexity of modern electricity networks all rely on strong engineering capability.
Ayesha Irfan, Power Systems Engineer at Enspec, shares her vision of the future of the energy industry:
“What’s exciting is how rapidly the renewable energy sector is growing. This also means we will see new and innovative technologies. Additionally, this will probably present new challenges and problems for power systems engineers to solve so it is exciting to see what entails and how we can overcome those challenges.”
International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that strengthening the engineering profession benefits the entire sector. Through advocacy, mentorship and opportunity, organisations across the industry can help support the next generation of engineers entering the field.
