Women in Utility Fleet
NES takes delivery of its first EVs
“ The industry has absolutely become more welcoming to women, and leading the way are educational organizations like EUFMC,” she said.“ The event schedules a Women in Fleet gathering every year and works hard to foster mentor / mentee relationships year-round. There’ s still work to be done in the areas of ingrained methodologies and resistance to change, but I do feel progress is consistently being made.”
For the Future Many young women will be graduating or may be looking to enter new
fields and take their careers in a new direction. This raises an important question: What do young women need to hear from those already in the field? Oca points to the importance of creating a supportive environment for women in the industry.
“ Ultimately, developing the next generation of women leaders is about creating opportunities, providing support, and giving people the confidence to step into those opportunities,” she emphasized.
For those interested, she said:“ Be open to different roles in the industry, take chances, and know your worth.
You may find opportunities in areas you never expected, so don’ t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.”
When asked how the industry can do a better job of uplifting women, Daiber expressed that sometimes leaders can lose sight of the importance of developing their team.
“ My advice to leaders is to be intentional about creating opportunities, bench strength, and challenging development projects for their team,” she said.“ Try to align the interests of your team members with department objectives and provide the support they need to succeed.”
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