Celebrate International Women in Engineering Day

At the Canal & River Trust, we recognise the invaluable contributions that women have made and continue to make in the field of engineering. International Women in Engineering Day is an occasion to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements, while also inspiring future generations of female engineers.

What is International Women in Engineering Day?

International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is an annual global event held on 23 June. The day aims to raise awareness about the outstanding accomplishments of women in engineering and encourage more girls and women to pursue careers in this dynamic field. INWED celebrates diversity, promotes equality, and highlights the exciting opportunities available in engineering.

Restoring Toddbrook

Toddbrook provides an ideal setting to commemorate this day as the project involves a predominantly, if not entirely, a female team of engineers and female project managers. In partnership with Coal Authority, Arup and Kier, these remarkable women have played a crucial role in driving this project forward which focuses on Making Saftey Seen.

Hayley Harper – design & development manager

With 22 years as a canal engineer, Hayley uses her vast experience to lead our design and development team.

Hayley explains, "What's great about being a civil engineer is the ability to get involved in so many different things. It's fantastic to be able to go out to site and see the designs and the information that you've pulled together being physically built."

Currently, Hayley is actively assisting in ensuring the smooth progress of the construction of new spillways, costing £20m at Toddbrook reservoir and £10m at Harthill reservoir. With designs approved and construction underway, Hayley is still helping to make sure all goes to plan. With approved designs and ongoing construction, Hayley remains dedicated to ensuring everything goes according to plan.

“There's a marked change in how we manage risk at the Canal & River Trust and delivering these huge projects shows our ambition. With the cost of everything going up, we need to make our designs as efficient as possible. Staying safe, but not over-engineering things, being innovative and preparing for climate change.”

Inclusivity in the workplace

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive employer and believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking, and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. Whether you are just starting out or are further along your career journey, we want everyone working and volunteering with us to see us as a safe and welcoming place, so you can feel comfortable and be yourself here.

Read more about our values on our diversity page.

Want to learn more?