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Women are still a minority in technical careers, as well as in positions of responsibility at companies. One of the main causes is the lack of female references who inspire girls and young women to opt for vocations in the fields of science and technology.
At Endesa, we have exceptional employees who have not hesitated to provide their experience and bring visibility to their jobs to show that the younger generation can also be mathematicians, distribution specialists and engineers, among so many other technical professions.
Irene Navalón, Ana María Martínez and Alicia Mateo are the names of the three professionals who have shown us their point of view about the role of women in a profession traditionally held by men:
Irene Navalón, predictive maintenance engineer
When she was 14 years old, Irene already knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. Perhaps she didn't know what it was called yet, but she had discovered the world through her father, and since then, she has spent hours assembling and disassembling electronic apparatuses. Her next stop was clear: the Advanced School for Engineering in Seville.
Her interest in the world of technology became intertwined with her curiosity for energy when in her third year of university, one of Irene’s professors showed her the possibilities in this field. Now, at age 28, she is a predictive maintenance engineer within the technical support department for thermal and combined cycle plants.
“I knew that what I was studying and what I was being trained for was a world with mostly men, but working with them has never bothered me; in fact, it has given me strength to continue on and break the barrier. My reaction has been to try to change this reality. It doesn't scare me, on the contrary, I want to change this through my own example.”
Irene Navalón, predictive maintenance engineer
A scholarship from the University-Business Foundation (FUE) provided Irene the opportunity to start at Endesa. During that time, she won the MOVERS award by FUE, thanks to which she was able to receive training at the University of Central Florida for one week, where she was able to visit NASA and enjoy Elon Musk’s launch of the Falcon 9.
Her work is framed within the Technical Support department for thermal and combined cycle plants, where she carries out dynamic diagnostics by analysing vibrations. “We provide support to the plants by analysing vibrations, because they alert us when there is a problem in a machine before it becomes a fatal error”, said Irene.
She is aware that in the plants, there are many more men than women. It’s something she had already imagined when she saw the proportion of students in the engineering classes. However, she also points out that the situation is starting to change.
“When I go to the plants, almost all of the colleagues I work with are men. However, for example, at the San Roque combined cycle plant, there are three women who are shift managers. Perhaps it’s just an exception, but it’s already a symptom that something has changed.”
Irene Navalón, predictive maintenance engineer
Ana María Martínez, distribution specialist
Resolving breakdowns, cuts in the grid and controls in the transformation centre. Ana María has been a distribution specialist at Endesa for a decade, but her passion for the sector was achieved through someone close to her. "One of my relatives, now retired, was dedicated to this profession. His job always fascinated me and even more so when I started to work at an engineering firm that worked for Endesa. I spent 10 years there working on engineering and electrical projects, and it became clear to me that it was what I was passionate about and what I wanted to do”.
In her first attempt to create a professional career in the energy sector, she found an obstacle to overcome: she needed a university degree. Ana María started her studies but had to abandon them when she became a mother.
But that would not be her final attempt to exercise the profession she wanted. "Later, there were a few categories that did not require these studies and that was when I went back to try, and I got it", commented Ana María at the interview.
In the exploitation area of Barcelona Norte, she is the only woman on a team of 20 people, but is not the only one in the building. Along with Ana María, there are two other female colleagues, and though they work in different areas, they share the space.
“We all started at the same time. They made it very easy for us from the beginning, starting with the clothes, which they adapted to our sizes and requirements. From the first instant, I felt like just another member of the team.”
Ana María Martínez, distribution specialist
Alicia Mateo, head of demand projection and management
Mathematics was the degree chosen by Alicia Mateo, who currently works in data analysis through machine learning and advanced analytics techniques. Her title is Chapter Leader of the Advanced Analytics Market, which in her own words, is based on obtaining "a projection of clients’ consumption in the short- and long-term through millions of data points that we receive from the smart meters”.
“In the short-term, we need these projections to be able to make energy purchases on the wholesale market. For that reason, we need to know in advance (at least one day) how much our 10 million clients are going to consume from one hour to the next.”
Alicia Mateo, head of demand projection and management
Since 2008, Alicia Mateo has worked at the company as head of demand projection and management. Ten years full of passion that becomes obvious when she talks about her work and trajectory: a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, a doctorate, a scholarship from the Institute for Technological Research (IIT) of ICAI...
Ana María’s professional career has not been simple, but her enthusiasm and curiosity for learning have been a huge help to her. In fact, she currently has an essential role in the Community of Data Experts and collaborates with universities like ICAI, Oxford, MIT and Uc3m with the objective of staying up-to-date.
Alicia says that she has studied and worked in an environment with mostly men. She is the mother of three children, and if you ask her how she balances it all, she will say that it is a concept that should be based on the search for equilibrium and not on the obligation to choose: “Find the point where you feel good with your work and your family. By choosing, you are inherently renouncing something, and this renunciation may also be harmful, both if you choose one thing or another.” “Inevitably, maternity requires extra effort in order to be able to keep up with the pace,” but she confirms that this is not a reason for her to feel inferior because of being a woman.
Balance and equality should be present at the company to continue the search for equilibrium and co-responsibility in society, as well as to achieve more women accessing the sector through technical training. Alicia, Irene and Ana María are three examples that can serve as references to inspire future generations.