Camille Anderson (left) and Kshema Koshy (right) from Acardis are some of the women working on Hammersmith Bridge.
Hammersmith & Fulham's world-leading engineers are working to repair our iconic Victorian Grade II*-listed Hammersmith Bridge.
As we mark International Women's Day, these engineers are showing their fellow women and girls that science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers are open to everyone.
They've been using the bridge as a valuable teaching tool to inspire the next generation of women in engineering. From carrying out the works on-site to advising on heritage and environmental best practice, our experts play a crucial role in protecting our iconic bridge.
"It's important to have female role models present on-site," said Camille Anderson, lead supervisor for Arcadis, the contractor overseeing the Hammersmith Bridge stabilisation works.
As part of our pioneering Industrial Strategy, H&F Council is making our borough stronger by inspiring young people to consider engineering and other STEM fields.
Getting girls into STEM
Around the world, women are under-represented in STEM industries. Here in H&F, we're dedicated to encouraging young women and girls to pursue careers in these fields.
Mott Macdonald – H&F's engineering contractor at Hammersmith Bridge – have developed the alternative £8.9m stabilisation programme for Hammersmith Bridge.
But they also run our popular Bridges4Schools programme. The unique Hammersmith Bridge project has inspired local primary school pupils through hands-on engineering lessons.
"We provide H&F primary school students the experience of constructing a 13metre-long cable stay bridge," says Cara Eddey, a project manager for Mott Macdonald.
Breaking the bias
Seeing women on this major engineering project helps break the bias for girls, our engineers say.
"I work with quite a few women, more than you'd expect," says Anna Brooks from Mott Macdonald who has worked on Hammersmith Bridge for four years. "Especially with the younger generation coming in, like the graduates, I'd say it's almost 50/50 which is amazing."
And Kshema Koshy from Acardis believes it's vital to 'break the gender norms of having traditional men only worksites'. "I am confident that the next generation of women in STEM will see no doors closed to them in the industry," says Kshema.
Find out more about the restoration of Hammersmith Bridge.
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