Inspiring the next generation

Left: Eleanor Shorland. Right: Nicole Jones
By Nicola Jones, Tata Steel UK manager for steel packaging recycling
Images on this page courtesy of Tata Steel UK
Women represent around half of the labour force in the UK, yet they account for 26 per cent of all workers in the manufacturing sector. In recent research published by Women in Manufacturing (WIM), 53 per cent of respondents cited a limited awareness or visibility of opportunities as a barrier to entering the manufacturing workplace. Similarly, lack of female role models was also considered a hindrance and therefore, affecting the overall inclusivity of the industry.
I’ve worked for Tata Steel UK for 25 years this year, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how my female colleagues have thrived in a variety of roles associated with steel packaging manufacturing from regulatory, education, commercial and engineering to name a few.
The future of our industry is reliant on inspiring the next generation, both female and male, to join, bringing with them their creative thinking, problem-solving and enthusiasm. And I’m sure that the key is education, opening doors and making sure manufacturing, including steel packaging, is seen as a valuable and viable career option.
The key to helping more women to flourish within industry is by increasing awareness of women in the industry. Tata Steel has some incredible female role models who are encouraging greater diversity across the sector. From regulatory matters, and engineering to packaging education, the women at Tata Steel are inspiring the next generation.
Personally, manufacturing has offered me opportunities and career growth that I never expected – now I look after the manufacturing, recycling, and packaging regulations for all our UK operations at Tata Steel.

(Left): Sarah Passmore
Sarah Passmore, a global account manager for packaging, has worked at Tata Steel for the last 15 years, starting as a placement student to now a global manager. Throughout her time at Tata Steel, Passmore has had the opportunity to gain an understanding of different functions and roles, but primarily has worked within the sales department.
Passmore’s ability to maintain external contacts and gather feedback from customers has equipped her with valuable experience in various commercial and service-related areas. This has allowed her to develop joint activity plans and identify improvement opportunities for the organisation. She commented, “One thing that shines through about being a woman working at Tata Steel UK is that you can feel the passion and knowledge in everyone. We work as a team sharing experiences, information and methods which help us all in the organisation to develop further.”
Product and process development manager, Gemma Finn-Lewis, joined Tata Steel in 2009 as a graduate straight from university. Her enjoyment of steel packaging manufacturing stemmed from its constantly evolving nature. The technology, customer demands and regulations inspire her as they are continuously innovating.
“My role is extremely varied. I lead a small team of technical specialists looking at new product developments and process enhancements across our packaging steel production. It’s an exciting role because we’re looking at what new products we will be bringing to market,” said Finn-Lewis. “On a day-to-day basis, I can be checking that physical line trials are underway, undertaking research and development, following up on laboratory tests, or sitting down with a customer to hear about how we can help meet their packaging steel needs.”

Laura Griffiths
Customer service is at the backbone of Tata Steel’s communications team. For over six years, customer service team manager, Laura Griffiths, has worked closely with can makers and manufacturers, getting to know their individual needs and site locations. In an average year, Griffiths will make thirty site visits alone and is always on hand to offer customers guidance on Tata Steel’s entire packaging portfolio. She commented, “One of the aspects I enjoy most about my job is getting to meet lots of interesting people and also working holistically across various Tata Steel divisions.”
Evelyn O’Brien, who joined Tata Steel UK as a graduate and is now an electrical technical maintenance engineer on Tata Steel’s five stand rolling mill, explained that although her educational courses at college and university were heavily male dominated this spurred her on further. “I grew up in a family of engineers and I was inspired by my Dad, an electrical engineer himself and Grandad, a works engineer,” she said.
O’Brien takes a hands-on approach to her role; she is responsible for performance improvements, upgrades and overall machine maintenance. In addition to her work, she teaches at a local dance school, where she shares her knowledge and expertise with young girls who are interested in pursuing careers in manufacturing. “I believe that by showcasing to children what I do as a career I can make a step into introducing more children and girls into manufacturing roles and inspire the next generation of steel manufacturers,” she commented.

Evelyn O’Brien
Eleanor Shorland, packaging recycling education officer, regularly runs a school visits programme to educate primary school children on the benefits of steel packaging recycling, and told me: “It’s wonderful to see the curiosity from school kids about steel. Education is key to overcoming limited visibility and breaking down entry barriers, by showcasing what I and other women do and the diversity of opportunities there are at Tata Steel we can open doors to future manufacturers.”
The Tata Steel education team has an active education programme, spanning both careers and packaging recycling for over a decade. Delivering around fifty workshops every year, the programme has so far reached around 100,000 young people with its visits. The education programme not only educates young children on the benefits and importance of recycling steel packaging, but also enables children to discover the multitude of roles within the steel packaging manufacturing industry for girls as well as boys.
“Our schools programme shows that, once introduced, students of both genders can be interested in manufacturing,” said Shorland. “Today’s generation of schoolchildren will have job titles which have not yet been conceived. I believe that to ensure the sustainability of the steel packaging industry and indeed, all manufacturing, we must highlight the opportunities available to inspire the next generation of skilled professionals.” By continuing to educate and inspire women, we can empower them to pursue careers in industry, breaking down the barriers that have traditionally kept them out of this field.
It is also essential to provide mentorship and support to women who are interested in working in the sector to build confidence and provide them with valuable guidance. This will not only increase diversity and inclusivity, but will also help to address the shortage of skilled workers in manufacturing and help to secure the future of the industry.
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