Dreamers & Makers

We talked to the director of Sener Aerospace’s division in Poland, Beatriz Pérez, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

A telecommunications engineer, Beatriz has developed most of her professional activity in the space and defense sector. On a personal level, she is the mother of a 4 year old boy and a 1 year old girl.

Beatriz, what drew you to the scientific-technological sector?

The practical dimension that was applied to the theory studied at the university. I find it very motivating and rewarding to be able to see the results of your work applied to real life. When you work on a system design for months, on a project, and you finally see the result, it’s very rewarding.

What are the challenges and opportunities that women face when they reach the professional field?

I currently believe that there are fewer and fewer barriers and that, above all, in the space sector, it is where they are still less prevalent. Perhaps one of the most significant challenges that women face in the professional field is to be able to completely separate their personal and professional lives, demonstrating the same availability and capacity for effort as men in certain vital stages, such as during maternity and child-rearing. 

As you look to the future, in what areas would you like to keep advancing, what challenges have you set for yourself?

I would like to continue advancing in the area of management.

Education is essential to advance personally, professionally and socially. As a professional, the slogan of this year’s International Women’s Day is “For an inclusive digital world: innovation and technology for gender equality”. How do you think education in the digital age can help achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls?

I believe that education can help break clichés from the past like that of women who were not welcome in technical environments intended only for men.

The visualization of successful woman in technical environments, in schools and secondary schools can help encourage girls and adolescents to lose their fear of choosing these types of careers.

We might think that, in countries like ours, both boys and girls have the same opportunities to use the Internet and technological devices and that, therefore, interest in technical careers should be more balanced. Why do you think the presence of men continues to predominate in this sector?

I honestly don’t have an answer to that question, when I was studying I remember that in my class we were only 10% girls and over the years the proportion changed, but it remained lower. Maybe it’s something generational and that women are more likely to choose less competitive careers and where in the past there was a glass ceiling just because they were women. The low visibility of women in the technical sector also discourages them from choosing a technical career.

What advice would you give to future generations?

To not be afraid of facing new challenges every day. That each challenge is an opportunity to improve.

Could you tell us about a woman you admire, who inspired you in this profession?

I admire women who are daring and who take steps forwards in their lives. Those who are capable of not giving up, even if they have bad days and who reinvent themselves every day so as not to be left behind. My fellow professionals at Sener are worthy of admiration on my part, since they all fight every day in a competitive world without being intimidated.

A phrase or a motto that you would like to say for the International Day of Working Women.

If you want to do something, YOU CAN!