ANGLEC’S WOMEN IN STEM – 2019 WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION

This year ANGLEC will be joining in the celebration of International Women’s Day/Month for the first time by featuring the stories of women in STEM  (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) related posts/functions at ANGLEC and promoting the official IWD theme for 2019 #BalanceForBetter.

GETTING TO KNOW HER

Catherine Emmanuel,

My name is Miss Catherine Emmanuel a resident of Pond Ground, East End, Anguilla. I am 46 years old. I am a mother of 2 daughters and 1 son.

I attended the East End Primary School and then went on to The Valley Secondary School. I started working a permanent job at the age of 17 upon completion of my tenure at The Valley Secondary School. I was unable to attend University or College due to lack of finances but after working for several years and doing a little entrepreneurship I was able to afford myself the privilege of doing my Associate Degree in Business at American InterContinental University Online which was a 4 year Degree but I managed to multi task between being a single mom with a full time job and completed it in 2 years and graduated in Chicago in 2004. I took a break and then decided to go at it again and pursue further where I completed my Bachelors in Finance which was a 4 year degree in 1 and ½ years and graduated Cum Laude in Chicago in 2012.

 I started working with Anguilla Electricity Company on September 5^th, 1994 in the position of Technical Assistant 3 and over the years moved my way up the ladder to Technical Assistant 2, then Technical Assistant 1, Acting Supervisor and then Supervisor. My present position is Technical Services Supervisor. I have been working at The Anguilla Electricity Company for 24 years and 5 months to date.

1. What is your favourite song?

My favourite song is I know who I am by Sinach

 2. What is your favourite hobby?

My favourite hobbies are cooking, dancing, meeting and communicating with people.

 3. Who was your role model growing up and why?

My role model growing up was my grandmother Mrs Eunice Richardson who raised me while my mother was overseas working. She is now deceased. She was what you call a virtuous woman. She was kind, passionate, humble, peaceful, a giver and always lend a helping hand to everyone in need. When she cooked she never cooked for her household alone most of the neighbourhood kids would gather around her and patiently wait for the pot to finish or for those lovely johnny cakes to bake so they can have their share. She taught me to be a humble young lady and always had a word of advice or a listening ear.

4. What was your favourite subject in school?

My favourite subject in school was Home Economics.

5. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

Local Anguillian Pot Fish

6. What is your favorite part about your job?

Meeting, greeting and communicating with external and internal customers.

7.What would you say is the hardest part of your job?

Dealing with external and internal conflicts.

BALANCE FOR BETTER WITH Catherine

The official theme for International Women’s Day 2019 is “Balance for Better”. Balance for better means fighting for more gender-balance in the world.

1. Why do you think gender-balance is important?

Gender balance is important to avoid having too much males or females in the workplace which can result in conflicts and tensions which can end with power struggles.

2. In your opinion, how could men and women work together to create a more gender balanced world?

Men and women can work together to create a more gender balance world by working together to empower each other, creating ideas to reduce abuse. Creating environments where everyone and feel safe. I always remember from my studies the 4 E’s (Eliminate, Expand, Encourage and Engage. If the 4 E’s are followed I think it can make Gender Balance very effective.

3. How do you find ways to thrive in a male dominated field?

I find ways to thrive in a male dominated field by getting involved in what the men do, interacting with them and not limiting myself in a male dominated field to say this work is for men or a man’s job and not mines. By being involved the more I learned the more educated I become in that field and I always tell myself once you fit in and don’t limit yourself because you are a female you will achieve a lot and it can also be a way to encourage other women.

4. How do you achieve work/life balance as a working woman?
   

I achieve my work/life balance as a working woman by doing the following:

• Teaching my kids from an early age to become independent and show them how to be able to help themselves to get their daily chores done.
• I teach them the basics in meal preparation, dressing themselves, taking their bath and personal hygiene just to name a few so they can not only help themselves but help me as well so we all can be out the door on time.
• I teach them who to contact if they cannot get me and what to do in case of an emergency.
• One of the rules is at some point during the morning and the afternoon while they are at school and I am at work we have to stay connected either by a telephone call or a message so we can know everyone is okay.
• I cross train my staff and delegate so work can go on as normal every day even if I am not there for whatever reason.
• I use my public holidays and weekend to make sure I spend as much time as possible with the kids.
• I try to make a balance between work and personal duties so I can get my daily chores of meal preparations, school drops off and pickups to name a few in a timely manner.
• I work through my options of being proactive and see which of my siblings can chip in for me during meetings or other activities if I am unable to drop off or pick up the kids.
• I multi-task at times when necessary.

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION

1. Would you encourage other women and girls in Anguilla to pursue STEM related jobs, if so why?

Yes I would encourage other women and girls to pursue STEM related jobs because of the following:

•  The job place needs to be diversified to prevent tensions and discrimination.
•  To prevent gender bias in the work place.
• To help with collaboration of different types of researches where you can make a change from the standpoint of the involvement of both male and females input.
• To increase innovation and creativity.
• To increase the range of inventions and breakthroughs that come from a female looking at a certain problem especially if it is female related different to how a man would look at it.

Most times women tend to be more aware socially then men and this exhibits more command qualities that can build communities and create a more inclusive environment as well as the emotional skills of women which can yield more positive results.

2. What would you say to young women who may be interested in the STEM fields?
   I would tell them they have made a great choice and decision to making a more diversified workplace. I would encourage them to continue to explore their potentials and curiosities for innovation. I would encourage them to remember that they have a right to charter their own course.
3. What would have encouraged you along your journey as a young woman interested in STEM?
   Self motivation knowing what I wanted and continuing to pursue it despite what other influences try to stop or discourage me.
   Remaining focus on my goals and dreams and their pursuits.
   Allowing the bad days to encourage me to aim higher rather than using it as a breaking point or seeing it as a disappointment or failure .
   Continuously telling myself not because I am a female I cannot be working in a highly dominated male workforce as there is no such notion that certain jobs belong to men only because females can make a difference.I’ll use myself as an example, for years I was the only female in the Transmission and Distribution Department in The Anguilla Electricity Company and it did not change anything for me it was exiting and rare for me and it made me proud to be in such an environment.
   
   
4. What would you encourage, educators, parents and guardians to do to ensure the advancement of young women in STEM related studies?

I would say to them to do the following:

• Ensure the advancement of young women in STEM related studies.
• Set up a comprehensive STEM portal system.
• Communicate and Educate on STEM.
• Provide career paths and planning tools on STEM.
• Expand their curriculums at Primary Secondary and Post Secondary to increase STEM opportunities for students.
• Establish targets and personalize goals for children.
• Include qualitative and quantitative factors by relating to, involving and expressing in quantity the importance of STEM.
• Commit to outreach programs
• Encourage a growth mindset
• Get employers to empower and partner with universities and colleges to set up STEM scholarships.
• Everyone should encourage and educate at all levels by training to address and strengthen the unconscious bias present in the workplace to ensure their environment is more open and inclusive and supportive.
• Identify tools for STEM and share them.
• Implement tools and portals with information links to tools that are designed to attract more women to STEM.
• Develop and share their own STEM tools.
• Parents should work with their daughters to seek out programs designed to attract them to STEM.
• Mentor and empower.
• Buy STEM supplies for your home.
• Follow the scientific method and view failures as discoveries.
• Watch your words.
• Go on Science excursions.
• Have positive female role models around.

Stay tuned for more features and for more information on IWD click here. Want information and ideas about supporting young ladies with interests in STEM? Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqSKBRCVkPM