Women's Room - come talk

[Guest]

Awesome story Mary!!

It was a unique trip. I was travelling alone and knew very little German. I got to the motel on my own. I got to the offices on my own. The tradeshow day was most interesting. Two young engineers who spoke English picked me up at the motel and took me with them. We had to ride a train to the tradeshow - it was about a 2-hour trip. We got to the show and split up and walked the show for a few hours. We met back late in the afternoon. It was a tradition to walk to a local tavern and drink beers, then travel back home. I went into this old-time German bar with a group of about 15 German men. They ranged in age from 20's to 50's. I know I was the first female ever to be included in that trade show tradition. We drank beer. There were a couple plates of appetizers. They mostly spoke German, so I didn't know all of what they said. But, I knew they were acknowledging me as unique. I'll never forget that time when I shared a couple of beers with a bunch of German engineers. If they were not nice to me, I couldn't tell because of the language barrier. And I didn't care. Some of them actually acknowledged that I had done something special and congratulated me.

That's awesome!!! I have found that some foreign cultures are less resistant towards change or more inclined to 'accept' something different. I have been quite surprised by the culture difference between Michigan and Florida ... not a foreign culture entirely, but in some ways it is quite different. FMJR have commented on a number of different things that are different - overall, I would say people in MI are much more accepting and open to 'diversity' than people that we knew in Florida.

That's a good thing ... since I am so very different!!

JR

 

[maryannette]

Awesome story Mary- no matter what rewards you get, the feeling of acceptance is always the best, and paves the way for future women to follow.

Now *that* is one to tell the grandkids. Very cool, Mary. Very cool.

I think my most cherished accomplishments have been changing attitudes, not solving engineering problems. I share that story occasionally. My daughter is starting college next month in engineering, so I hope that we who have paved the way make the road a little smoother.

 

[CivE Bricky]

I think my most cherished accomplishments have been changing attitudes, not solving engineering problems. I share that story occasionally. My daughter is starting college next month in engineering, so I hope that we who have paved the way make the road a little smoother.

Go Mary! I have daughters and nieces too - and my career is just about the same length as yours.

I've enjoyed seeing how admin assts in my office (over the years) took delight in saying things like, "Let me see if the engineer handling that is available - yes, she said you can go right in."

 

[CivE Bricky]

So...what is your equivalent to the male biz casual uniform - khakis and a golf shirt? I find it doesn't translate directly (I think we look more casual than they do in that).

I'll go with (washable) dress pants and a tailored shirt usually -- nice, but not so nice that I look ridiculous making site visits. In the winter, I'll throw a blazer or cardigan over. And although the men wear jeans at times, I'll only go with jet black ones.

 

[maryannette]

When I passed the PE, I was working in a manufacturing location. Very few people there cared if I passed the PE. It was my ticket out of that hell hole. The morning after I got my results, the front desk receptionist and an admin brought balloons and flowers for me. I thought that was incredible.

 

[Fluvial]

I've enjoyed seeing how admin assts in my office (over the years) took delight in saying things like, "Let me see if the engineer handling that is available - yes, she said you can go right in."

I've noticed this too. The non-technical ladies in the office tended to be very proud of the technical women. I've met several over the years who would have made excellent engineers or CAD designers, just weren't ever encouraged to do so.

 

[maryannette]

I wear casual "Dockers" style pants - mostly black, but some tan. I wear the typical golf-style shirt, occasionally something a little dressier. I go in the field with a safety vest, boots, and a hard hat, so I seldom wear anything very nice. A blazer sometimes, but I wear a windbreaker jacket to the field instead of the blazer.

 

[Fluvial]

So...what is your equivalent to the male biz casual uniform - khakis and a golf shirt? I find it doesn't translate directly (I think we look more casual than they do in that).
I'll go with (washable) dress pants and a tailored shirt usually -- nice, but not so nice that I look ridiculous making site visits. In the winter, I'll throw a blazer or cardigan over. And although the men wear jeans at times, I'll only go with jet black ones.

I do this too, but I've also had sucess with longer dresses - kind of like teachers wear - and flats.

 

[maryannette]

When I worked in a factory building, I wore dressier clothes. At one time, I wore a skirt suit with high heels every day. Whew. Not any more.

 

[CivE Bricky]

When I worked in a factory building, I wore dressier clothes. At one time, I wore a skirt suit with high heels every day. Whew. Not any more.

My husband is at a defense contractor with lots of women execs and managers. There the power female uniform is expensive skirted suits and 4" heels...even though that clothing is rare in our community.

I can wear whatever I want, but I work with the public alot and prefer the reaction that slightly more professional clothing gets. It's worth getting good clothes muddy or splashed with concrete now and then....it washes out! Every now and then I'm sad that I live in pants because I have really nice legs, but....I hate pantyhose too.

 

[maryannette]

Doesn't everybody HATE pantyhose? The younger girls go bare-legs with dresses and skirts. My legs are not what they used to be, so I don't care that I live in pants.

 

[Fluvial]

I think you're right, Mary. I've had younger ladies tell me that pantyhose are "old hat" and they're not needed anymore. Suits me!

 

[TouchDown]

Doesn't everybody HATE pantyhose? The younger girls go bare-legs with dresses and skirts. My legs are not what they used to be, so I don't care that I live in pants.

I know I do, it really bunches up and makes my leg hair itch.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

^True, but what else am I supposed to wear when I prance around my house singing show tunes?

 

[Supe]

^True, but what else am I supposed to wear when I prance around my house singing show tunes?

I don't think it matters, as long as you're using jazz hands. :f_115m_e45d7af:

 

[Fluvial]

My hubby actually wore a pair of tights a few years ago as part of an Elf costume. He was the biggest Elf I've ever seen. I don't know where they got tights in his size.

 

[engineergurl]

to prevent a hijacking....

when i first started my current job, i was in hose, heels and skirts every day since i was in the office setting up databases and reading the legal documents pertaining to what I was enforcing... then one day my boss said, if you want to get in the field you can dress for it tomorrow. I replyed, I got my boots and pants in my truck. I have worn my jeans, steel toes, vest, glasses and hard hat every day since.

 

[CivE Bricky]

OK - I'll start a new one.

How important is it for teen girls to be taught techy topics by female role models?

My daughter (13) is in a tech camp this week and ALL the guest speakers/presenters are women. I'm glad there's some, but I'm not comfortable eliminating males from consideration. I did tell the teacher who pulled the whole thing together that I was a civil engineer and knew all sorts of techy women....she almost hyperventilated- she was so excited! I started a list of contacts for her and just felt compelled to include quite a few men -along with all the women.

I have some interest in trying to plan a similar more engineering-focused camp for next summer (via ASCE) but I'm not inclined to restrict students or presenters to female only. Thoughts?

PS. Interestingly - my daughter's favorite topic from camp (so far) was a stop at the college fashion design studio where they did laser body scans and got to see that design is mostly done by computer now. The take away she got was, "If you create beautiful clothes, you're an artist. If you create beautiful clothes that sell well, then you're a fashion designer." I told her to note that many careers which used to be non-technical now require proficiency with math and computers.

It was too late to add in a visit to one of my employer's construction projects for this year's camp - but I did send in an invite for anyone interested in a tour to contact my office directly to arrange a tour after camp -- we have a nice road reconstruction project well underway.

 

[TouchDown]

I told her to note that many careers which used to be non-technical now require proficiency with math and computers.

As for all female speakers, I don't know if it HAS to be that way, but I see why they might want it to be that way... No real strong opinion. People can get inspiration from all kinds of places.

Proficiency with math and computers. Undeniably, computers are a permanent fixture in our society.

 

[maryannette]

I think it is okay for a girls' tech camp to have only female speakers. It creates an atmosphere where girls may be able to learn better. I might recommend an all female forum for a young girl who might be intimidated. But, any girl who is considering engineering as a career needs to be exposed to the real world, which is mostly men. If you can only function in an artificial environment, you will never make it in the real world.