IWED | Celebrating Women Engineers - Profile of Stephanie Hatzi
Posted on June 26, 2024
As part of our acknowledgement of International Women in Engineering Day (#IWED24) TMK recognises the gender disparity within our sector. Australia needs more engineers to help us continue to build a dynamic and growing economy regardless of gender identity. We recognise change is happening and TMK is committed to listening to our staff and encouraging more women engineers into our field.
TMK has amazing women engineers who we would like to acknowledge as part of IWED. They show dedication and commitment within our organisation but they are also champions setting an example that every person can have a career as an engineer.
Showcasing our talent
Stephanie Hatzi is a Structural Engineer and part of our Volume Homes team. Her role includes preparing and designing preliminary and full-detailed reports and structural designs. She graduated in 2019 with an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Architectural) from the University of Adelaide and started her role at TMK in 2024.
We asked Stephanie some questions about her experiences of being an engineer.
Why did you choose to become an engineer?
My year 11 math teacher suggested I should think about getting into this career path and said there needed to be more women in engineering. I had no idea what an engineer even did at the time besides math, but I went out on a whim and have never looked back.
What do you enjoy most about your work as an engineer?
I really enjoy the design aspect of engineering and being able to problem solve. I also love architecture and being able to work on a wide variety of home designs all day is fun.
Have there been challenges on your road to becoming an engineer that you have faced due to being a woman? (How) have you overcome these?
The challenges I faced being a woman in the field were mostly at the start of my career and feeling like I should know a lot more than I do. I wanted to prove to everyone that I knew what I was doing, but in reality I was doubting myself and questioned if I had chosen the right career path. Through time I have become much more confident in my work and realised that the more help you ask for, the better you become.
What is it like to work as a female engineer at TMK? I would love the female aspect but if you are uncomfortable just provide an answer on the culture and how you fit in.
I have only recently started working here at TMK but so far it is a great place to work at as a female engineer, it is a very inclusive and supportive workplace. Though the majority of engineers here are male, it’s great to see more and more female engineers being employed.
What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman thinking of starting a career in engineering?
I would say the best advice I could give is to not become discouraged if you’re thinking about it. Don’t let any preconceptions about the field put you off because it is a great career path for women. It may seem daunting at first but don’t doubt your skillsets and abilities.
In your opinion, why is it important that more women take up engineering?
I think it's very important for more women to take up engineering if they have a real interest in it. There needs to be more diversity in the industry which will create an inclusive industry for ourselves and future generations to come.