"Days like this engages me a lot"

On 18 September, the VERA Day was held at the School of Engineering (JTH) at Jönköping University (JU) and this year girls studying the technology programme at Erik Dahlbergsgymnasiet (ED) in Jönköping participated. The VERA Day is organized every year at JTH to draw attention for girls to engineering programme and professions.
"Days like this engages me a lot," says Daribel Cherry, who study the technology program at ED.

During the VERA Day, the high school girls were invited to lunch and listened to female lecturers who work as and have also studied to become engineers at JTH. Also participating were representatives of the JU Solar Team, which builds and competes with a solar car in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. The speakers also shared their experiences in a panel discussion where they talked more about what it is like to work in a male-dominated industry.

"It will be more fun to work too"

One of the lecturers was Stina Ahlgren, structural engineer at Enter Arkitektur in Jönköping.

"Although we are fairly evenly distributed between men and women in architectural offices, it is not like that when we go out to meetings, so more girls are definitely needed in the construction industry. It will be a better working climate and a sharper product in the end if you get more perspectives on things. It will be more fun to work in such a workplace as well, says Stina Ahlgren, who adds that she enjoyed herself very much during her student years at JTH.

She thinks it is important for girls and women interested in technology to meet in different networks, and that it can start with the VERA Day.

"Hopefully providing inspiration to our students"

Susanne Petri, who teach the technology programme at ED, says that she and her colleagues came to the VERA Day so that their students could hear from girls and women about their experiences from the technology industry.

"Days like this are very useful to show good examples and create cohesion between girls and women who are interested in technology and who work as engineers. Hopefully it can inspire our students to what they want to do in the future, says Susanne Petri.

"The norm should not be that technology is only for boys"

Daribel Cherry and Khushi Mepani who are in the third year of the engineering programme at ED felt that the VERA Day gave them a clearer picture of what they want to do in the future.

"Super fun and inspiring to meet girls and women who have taken positions in technical professions, which we will also do when we enter working life. The norm should not be that technology is only for boys, but that it is for everyone. says Daribel Cherry.

They thought it was good that they got to meet engineers from different industries and hear more about the fact that there are many ways forward for them in that field depending on what they are interested in.

"Technology has such a big and important meaning in society, so it is crusial that more girls are involved in that industry and contribute their perspectives on how to do different things, says Khushi Mepani.

"Made me more interested in studying at JTH"

Both thought that VERA day was good and rewarding, not least considering that they will be applying to universities this spring.

"This made me more interested in studying at JTH and the Supply chain and operations management programme, so maybe I will start studying here next fall," says Daribel Cherry.

Khushi Mepani was more interested in studying for a Master of Science in Engineering degreee and mentions that she may also choose to study at JTH.

Contact persons for the VERA Day are Linda Bergqvist and LisaBeth Sundström, External Relations Manager and Project Manager at JTH.