It’s not usually her thing to do something like this, but we’re glad to have twisted this next #WomeninEngineering arm to participate and share her thoughts – every one’s voice matters!
Beca’s Business Management Strategy & Emerging Technology, Sue Bradley is a fantastic example of a forward thinking wahine.
She’s fascinated by the sudden and rapid increase in technologies that we can use to vastly improve the performance of our businesses and to spearhead exponential business growth. And she’s not just talking about shiny new toys, nor technology that requires vast coding skills. But rather mainstream technologies that we can all engage with and have fun in the process. Saying, we’re only limited by our imaginations!
She’s held a variety of roles in the industrial and manufacturing sectors in both business operations and project delivery.
And both types of roles have required her to on one hand maintain consistency in the application of processes, and on the other hand bring innovative thinking and new ways of looking at the world. Her degrees in engineering and design management, and more recently business management and strategy at INSEAD as well as deep experience working across Australasia, China and the UK all helping to back her up!
What do you love about your job?
I’m currently the Industrial Advisory lead for Beca, leading the develoment of a suite of advisory service offerings, including Industry 4.0 emerging technology solutions. This covers technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality, Internet of Things, computer simulation, data analytics and artificial intelligence.
I really enjoy learning, so the pace of development of the technology as well as the rate of change in how we can use it to solve our client’s business challenges, is really exciting for me.
The other aspect that I love, is working with a huge range of highly intelligent people – from those that are dreamers and creatives, through to people who are implementing to deadlines and just to get it done.
What are the key challenges facing women in Engineering?
Earlier in my career, I truly believed that women had an equal playing field and faced the same challenges as everyone else (maybe aside from the wolf whistles or locker-room posters on constructions – but if you gave as good back as you got then you’d be fine).
Over time my views have changed. I think the challenges change at different stages in life.
Women are still mostly the primary caregivers and want flexibility in the hours that they work. Many companies offer this, but it might not be obvious when you’re looking for a job – so just ask.
At more senior levels in business, masculine traits are still very much linked to effective leadership – competitiveness, assertiveness, dominance.
Businesses are starting to understand that more feminine communal traits are as effective, if not more. We need to encourage this, and role model positive outcomes.
What impact do you want to make in your career?
I want to make the world a better place – for me and my family, for New Zealanders, for the young people I work with (I love seeing them grow in their careers) and for the clients I work with and who trust me to help them.
I want to be inspired, and be inspiring.