June 23^rd 2025 hosts International Women in Engineering Day, which celebrates its 12^th year. This year the theme is #TogetherWeEngineer. The day is organised by The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) with the aim of supporting women in engineering and the inclusivity of the engineering industry. Something that’s obviously very personal to me.

My Name’s Lucy Bryan and I’m a SOLIDWORKS Elite Applications Engineer here at Visiativ UK and Ireland. I’ve been working in an engineering-based role for my whole career, and it’s not unusual that I deal with more men than women day-to-day. In times as recent as 2021, figures indicated that in the UK only 16.5% of engineers are women. Which is surprising considering how broad a spectrum engineering is.

What has my journey been so far?

All throughout school I was in the minority within my chosen subjects. Throughout GCSE and A-level years I was the only girl within my Design & Technology classes. It made no difference to me – it was all I’d ever known and I never felt uncomfortable. I do remember there being meetings about whether I was allowed to study that subject as it wasn’t academic. Looking back, barriers like these could well prevent some girls from moving forward with engineering and design careers despite them being valuable and rewarding career options.

After my A-levels I went to university to study product design. I wanted to be able to combine engineering principles while still being creative. At the time painting was my biggest passion, but I knew I’d never be able to build a stable career from it. In my mind, product design was a happy medium. It was here that I taught myself how to use SOLIDWORKS for my final year project.

After leaving university I moved back to Wales and wanted to get a job quite quickly. During my degree I think the most valuable thing I learnt was how to use SOLIDWORKS, so when looking for jobs, I began there. I started my first SOLIDWORKS Engineer job in September 2014, the day after my 21^st birthday. My role was to create manufacturing drawings for large-scale HDPE fabrications.

During those years my skills using CAD continued to develop and grow. As well as using SOLIDWORKS confidently, I was able to learn PDM Pro, Ansys and Mastercam for use with a robotic milling arm. I was also fortunate to be able to complete several SOLIDWORKS training courses and certifications, reaching SOLIDWORKS Expert level.

After a few years I was looking for a role change, so that I could continue to develop outwards rather than upwards, and face some new challenges. It was then I was able to move to work within the technical team of the SOLIDWORKS VAR (Value Added Reseller) I’d previously worked closely with. I loved that every day was a challenge and a continuous learning opportunity. I also enjoyed dealing with customers and building up those relationships.

Now, I’m still part of the Technical Support team at Visiativ, but my focus has shifted from core SOLIDWORKS to 3DEXPERIENCE. But the fundamentals are still the same. I love learning and problem solving!

What has been my workplace experience so far?

I think in many ways I’ve been very fortunate to have worked in very inclusive teams, even though I’m usually the minority. My colleagues don’t treat me differently just for being a woman. Within my team at Visiativ, I am and always have been an equal.

I recently returned to work after a long maternity leave and could not have been more thankful for my experience. I’ve been able to slot back into working and feel fully supported while I try to find my feet again. However, I realise my experience is not always the norm, which makes me even more grateful.

I speak to customers on a day-to-day basis and, for the most part, I’ve felt respected and treated no differently to anyone else. That said, there have been a few rare occasions where I’ve been made to feel somewhat set apart. In my role, it’s entirely normal for me to answer calls on the technical support line. On one occasion, after picking up a call, the customer assumed I was the receptionist and asked to be transferred to the ‘support boys’. At the time, I laughed it off – but in truth, it stayed with me. It was a reminder that assumptions can still be made about someone’s technical abilities based on their voice or name. Still, I truly believe we’re moving in the right direction, with growing awareness and positive change being driven by initiatives like International Women in Engineering Day.

What advice would I give girls looking to build a career in engineering?

What I’ve found so far is that the most valuable qualities for any team member to have is to be honest and to be hard working. So as long as you can display those, you can’t go far wrong. I’d also recommend they say yes to any opportunity! Everyday is a learning experience and usually they will lead to something.

My other biggest piece of advice is to stay confident. My daughter is almost two and she’s already independent and headstrong. At the moment her greatest interests are animals and nature. She loves nothing more than being outside. But she also loves puzzles and is happiest when using her hands. It’s too soon to tell what her path looks like in the future, but my hope for her is that she will always have the support and confidence to do whatever she chooses.

		About the author: This guide was written by 3DEXPERIENCE Product Manager, Lucy Bryan. Lucy is an Elite SOLIDWORKS Applications Engineer and has been with the Visiativ Technical Support Team since 2019.
			View Lucy Bryan’s LinkedIn Profile here.