Women in engineering on International Women’s Day

Inspired by International Women’s Day on Sunday 8th March 2026, we sat down with Graduate Engineer, Malika Vara (MEng), who’s based in our Maidstone office. Malika has been with us since 2024 and has made a big contribution to some important projects over the last 18 months. Having been one of only a handful of women on her engineering degree, and throughout much of her work experience, she covers the importance of bringing more perspectives into the profession, as well as highlighting inspiring women.

 

Thanks for joining us, Malika. On International Women’s Day, what are your observations about women in engineering?

Engineering has always been a male dominated field, and that could make it intimidating for women who want to join the industry. But I genuinely believe that if women want to pursue engineering, they absolutely should. Yes, it can feel overwhelming at the beginning – you might question whether you belong or how you’ll stand out among so many men – but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed or thrive.

When I first started my engineering journey back in 2016 studying manufacturing engineering, I was often the only female in the room full of men. It was intimidating at times, but surprisingly, I received a lot of support. I kept my head down and focused, especially because my parents – and particularly my dad, who was an engineer himself – pushed me to give it my all. That support made a huge difference.

University was similar: lots of men, only a handful of women. It was challenging, and I often felt small surrounded by so many smart people. But finding the right people who encouraged me kept me going.

The same has been true throughout my career. In my first job in piling, I had an incredibly supportive manager. And now at IDH, the support is even stronger. Even on days when I don’t feel smart – because let’s be honest, there are some very clever people here – I’ve never been looked down on or made to feel like I don’t belong. That kind of environment matters.

“Prove to yourself that you belong — because you do. Engineering needs more women, more perspectives, more voices. And as the only female engineer in my office right now, I can confidently say there’s plenty of space for more of us.”

I also think back to when I finished my GCSEs. My grades weren’t what I expected, and one of the teachers told me I couldn’t do engineering. I was devastated. But my dad literally took me by the hand to a school in Dartford and applied for me to study manufacturing engineering. If it wasn’t for him believing in me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My journey has been a rollercoaster, but it’s been possible because of the support around me and my own determination to keep going.

So, on International Women’s Day, my message to women is this: if I can push through that rollercoaster, so can you. Focus on your own progress, not on how many men are in the room. Prove to yourself that you belong — because you do. Engineering needs more women, more perspectives, more voices. And as the only female engineer in my office right now, I can confidently say there’s plenty of space for more of us.

What advice would you give to women considering a career in engineering?

My biggest piece of advice to women considering a career in engineering is simple: just go for it.

If you don’t start now – or at least early on in your career – you may end up putting it off forever. When I was at university, I began with an undergraduate degree in civil engineering. Later on, I was offered the opportunity to complete my master’s as a joint degree. At first, I thought, “Another year? That’s too long.” But then I put my ego aside and reminded myself: if I don’t take this chance now, I probably never will.

Trying to return to it later would have been so much harder, almost impossible once life starts getting busier. Doing my master’s also helped as it will help me progress towards chartership without needing to complete an extra course later on — another reason I’m grateful I took that step. That decision genuinely shaped my whole career.

So my advice is this: don’t overthink it, don’t doubt yourself – just do it. And you might be surprised by just how far you can go.

Who’s a woman that inspires you? Not just in engineering – in life.

It has to be my mum. I’ve seen her journey firsthand from the moment I was born until now, and her strength, resilience, and work ethic are the main reasons I am who I am today.

My mum was born in Gujarat, India, and moved to Goa when she was 16. That move meant her education stopped early, while my uncle (mum’s brother) and grandfather were working extremely hard in Dubai to support the family – despite having very little. My grandmother always welcomed people with a smile, even through hardship, and that’s where my mum started learning and understanding her strength.

“The way I work today is completely shaped by what I’ve watched [my mum] do…[my parents’] dedication taught me to keep going, to push myself, and to work hard for what I want.”

At 18, she got engaged and married within five days of meeting my father. She then moved across the world to the UK to live with him and his family. Imagine arriving in a completely different country with someone you barely know, without speaking a single word of English. But she adapted — slowly but surely.

My parents opened a small sandwich bar, here in Maidstone called Munchies, and she was pushed in at the deep end, interacting with customers, and over time, she picked up English by speaking to people every day. Eventually, like many Gujarati families, they shifted to working in their own shops, and she became confident, independent, and capable of running a business while raising a family.

She worked from the age of 18 – 5am to 11pm, seven days a week. She had four children by the time she was 27. And on top of that, she has spent years looking after my dad through ongoing health issues. She’s 48 now and still handles everything with the same strength and grace.

The way I work today is completely shaped by what I’ve watched her do. Even when I’m unwell, I still feel guilty resting because I’ve never seen my parents take sick days. Their dedication taught me to keep going, to push myself, and to work hard for what I want.

My mum has also supported me emotionally in a way no one else ever could. When I was stressed at university – especially during my master’s – there were moments I wanted to quit. I still remember telling her, “I can’t do this.” She calmly said, “If you feel like you can’t, then don’t.” She let me breathe for ten minutes, asked me if I felt better, and when I said yes, she would tell me to get back to my work – reminding me that I’d be crazy to give up just months before graduating. And she was right!

Everything I am today, every bit of my determination, my work ethic, my strength, comes from her. She inspires me to work harder, to keep going even on the toughest days, and to believe in myself the way she always believed in me.

So for me, the most inspiring woman isn’t someone famous or someone in engineering — it’s my mum. Always has been, always will be. And if I wasn’t for her trying and my father pushing her then I wouldn’t be where I am today.

 

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Thanks so much, Malika – your journey and determination is inspiring. Happy International Women’s Day.

For more information on our latest graduate jobs, please see our careers page.