To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we shine a spotlight on one of many incredible colleagues from Airbus Defence and Space Cyber – Bethan Capel!
Can you please present yourself (name, current position)?
Bethan Capel, Continuous Improvement Engineer
How would you describe yourself in three words/expressions?
Inquisitive, positive, logical
Can you tell us more about your career history (education, professional)? Why did you choose this field of study?
I graduated from Cardiff University with a Master’s degree in Mathematics. I chose to study maths as it was my favourite subject in school. I enjoy learning new concepts, solving complex problems and understanding the detail behind how things work.
Why did you decide to join Airbus?
I always knew that within my career I wanted to feel like I was making a difference to the world. This is what put Airbus at the front of my mind. When researching further into what Airbus had achieved in Newport, it was obvious that this was the place I wanted to develop my career.
Is there a key project that you have worked on?
My role prominently focuses across the business functions rather than on specific projects. I help the different business areas work efficiently, effectively and consistently to achieve desired results. Having this unique perspective on the business is very interesting and gives you an appreciation of the value each department adds. It is also very exciting to see how to business develops and how it could develop in the future.
How would you define gender equality in your field?
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) is a male dominated field, however this does not mean that women are undervalued or overlooked. Every opinion is valued as each person offers a unique perspective to a problem, by sharing these we can achieve innovative solutions to varying problems.
In your opinion, what changes are needed in the system to be more attractive to women in engineering?
There are so many different opportunities available within Engineering that should be promoted. Women can have a very successful career in Engineering but it seems as if they are not advertised as well as they could be. Engineering is so broad, it is not always what you think it is.
One piece of advice for girls who want to pursue engineering studies?
Continue progressing in the field that interests you and do not let any bias discourage you. There will be people to support you – the world is changing!
The motto/sentence that drives your life?
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken – Oscar Wilde
