Today is International Women’s Day. This annual event is to recognize the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is an opportunity to highlight the progress made towards gender equality and equity and to raise awareness of the ongoing challenges that women face worldwide.

Here at ELIQUO HYDROK we have many talented and highly-qualified women who are part of our team. From Design Engineers, to Project Managers, to Administrators, their expertise and experience ranges across different roles and career paths. We want to share some of the stories from our female employees.

Julie Cypher is our Business Systems Administrator, and has worked at ELIQUO HYDROK for 10 months.

“I was inspired to pursue a career in water as I was looking for something new and different. What motivates me to continue in this field is how we are working to protect the environment now and for the future. And I enjoy being part of a well-established company!

The advice I would give to other women who are interested in pursuing a career in this in industry would be to go for it! Follow your dreams and never say never – you might just surprise yourself.

In my opinion the most important qualities for success in this industry are Teamwork, Honesty, Open-mindedness, Assertiveness and Good Communication.

Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned during my career are to be yourself and to not be afraid to stand out and push yourself forward – this made me the person I am today.”

Sarah Sleeman is our Stormwater Project Manager, she joined ELIQUO HYDROK in September 2019.

“I was inspired to join the team at ELIQUO HYDROK as I’m from Cornwall and, living close to the beaches, I wanted to help make our waters cleaner and to protect the environment. Working here allows me to help produce the products that are needed by the water industry to do this.

Advice I’d give to other women who are interested in pursuing a career in this industry would be to definitely try it. Until you do you can’t understand the processes involved in how water is filtered. It’s a great industry to be part of – everything we produce from our factory helps towards cleaner water.

Success for me is seeing the amount of products that we provide to the water companies to help them provide a good service to their customers, whilst also helping the environment.

Valuable lessons learnt in my career are to be patient, understanding and to stay calm as any issue can be resolved.  Building good working relationships with customers is a must as we help each other out along the way.”

Gabriela Moutinho is a Project Engineer and has worked with us for a year.

“PURPOSE is what inspired me to pursue a career in water. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to put my knowledge and expertise as an engineer to the benefit of both humans and possibly our most vital element - water. To be able to add my grain of sand to the preservation of our planet.

Advice I would give to other women who are interested in pursuing a career in this industry is to do it! Don’t believe for one second that your gender will stop you. It comes with challenges, that’s true, but it’s nothing we can’t manage. Believe in your abilities and your passion and every challenge will seem very small. I think Perseverance, Passion and Curiosity are the most important qualities for success in this industry. I continue to develop these qualities every single day.

The importance of teamwork, organisation and good communication are the most valuable lessons I’ve learnt in my career and outside of work. As English is not my first language, it is ever more important for me to think in advance and use different tools to communicate my needs, as well as understanding the needs of others.”

Janice Kertai joined the company exactly 19 years ago (on 8th March 2004).

Fondly thought of as the matriarch of our company, Janice’s diverse and ever-expanding role in logistics is vital to keep everything running smoothly.
“I first started at ELIQUO HYDROK in the Stores Department in an administration role. Now I primarily deal in logistics, mostly organising transport – despatching small parts parcels to large pallets and full lorry loads.

As the business has grown, so too has my role. We began importing products from Europe and then exporting our products worldwide too. I have had to organise the hiring of plant equipment cranes for site installations as well as purchasing welding equipment and accessories, and much more! Whatever we need, I need to source and manage – working with all departments, supporting and advising them.

Every day comes with its own challenges, I need to balance meeting both colleagues’ and customers’ expectations, whilst building a good relationship with transport providers.
I have been fortunate to watch this company grow and, in turn, I have grown with it. And I’m still learning new things every day.”

Hazel Henshaw is our Purchasing Assistant, she has worked with us for almost four years.

“The water industry is always evolving, with new ideas on how to protect this vital resource. I relish the opportunity to be part of such an exciting and important industry, that is helping to secure the future of clean and usable water.

There are so many roles within this industry, and if you have a passion for continuing to improve our environment, then this is certainly a career area to explore.

I think it is important to have the ability to embrace change and be open-minded to new ideas and challenges. As well as being able to communicate effectively.

Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learnt in my career is that everyone is different, which means together we can achieve anything we put our minds to. Understanding this has allowed me to become more confident in asking for input from others, as well as trying new ideas I might not have considered otherwise. Throughout my career I have pushed my knowledge and boundaries, I’m always eager to learn and rise to any given challenge.”

Molly Ransom is a Design Engineer and joined ELIQUO HYDROK three months ago.

“It is really important for me that my career matches my morals. Working in the water industry is a great way to make a positive impact on the planet, the environment, animals and people too. I feel a real sense of job satisfaction from working in this field.

Advice I would give to other women who are interested in pursuing a career in water would be to go for it! We need more women everywhere in this industry, so don’t be put off by it being traditionally male-dominated. The only way that will change is by more women becoming involved, there has never been a better time and will only get easier for women.

I think the most important quality for success in this industry is a keen attitude to learn and to keep learning. The water industry is always changing, and we must be able to adapt to these changes. I’ve developed this trait by being flexible and listening and learning from those around me. It’s important to learn and then share this knowledge with others – we’re all part of a bigger team, and when we continue to move forward as one team, we become stronger.

Being a woman in industry can sometimes be difficult and frustrating. But this is what has shaped me the most. I’ve learnt to fully believe in myself, because I’m good at what I do. I’ve also learnt that, even though it doesn’t feel great at the time, the mistakes you make are the ones that you learn from the most. Never give up – use every experience, good and bad, as something to learn from.”