Meet our women in Engineering

In the last 40 years, the percentage of women students in Mexican universities has almost doubled, and still only 38% of them are studying a program in STEM, according to the United Nations. We’ve interviewed 6 women in Hitachi Energy Mexico that have made successful careers out of their passion for STEM and have created real impact within their roles. What they can all agree on is that there’s still a big equality gap to work on, and that there’s not just one way to develop a career in those fields; the possibilities are endless.

Get to know each of their inspiring stories and how they are all leading the way for equality

Leticia Pérez García

Operations Manager for High Voltage Products and Transformers BUs

My name is Leticia, and I have more than 30 years of experience in the energy sector.

I studied Mechanical Engineering and I have a master’s degree in Machinery and Equipment Design. I am certified as Project Manager, and I’m in the final stage to achieve the certification as Sr. Project Manager.

I have always had a fascination and love for mathematics, I wanted my work to produce something tangible and have results that could be observed and help solve problems. I thought: "the world depends on electricity and technology, and I want to contribute to that".

I enjoy the challenges that each project and service present to me; I enjoy overcoming adversity and earning a place in a profession that until not so long ago was stereotyped as being unfeminine and, therefore, identified exclusively for men.

The biggest challenge I have encountered and am still working on is achieving gender equity in a world that talks about inclusion and diversity but has yet to become a reality. However, I am on the way and breaking new ground.

My greatest achievement is the acceptance and respect of my work team. My greatest pride is the contribution to a work environment of harmony and close collaboration without egos, without envy where we all add, celebrate and enjoy successes.

My advice for young girls is not to hesitate and not to let the uncertainty of your skills prevent you from taking the challenge of participating in the world of engineering where the only thing you need to succeed is to put yourself at the level of skills that the energy future demands.

For those who have not yet decided what to study I would say: if you love to solve problems and are passionate about designing products that can impact many people, engineering is the right path.

Daniela Díaz

Global Sustainability Specialist

I am Daniela, and among my main activities I coordinate the response to external questionnaires for the company as CDP and EcoVadis. I studied Sustainable Development Engineering at Tec de Monterrey University and graduated in 2018.

My grandmother, my mother and my aunts were able to complete their university studies, so I grew up in a matriarchy where women have formed me and helped me to prosper and grow; thanks to them, I studied a career in engineering. On my father's side, after my father, I was the first granddaughter to graduate from college. My family inspires me to improve and give the world a clean, healthy, and opportunity-filled place.

As a Sustainable Development Engineer, I have always wanted to improve the quality of life for people, not only in the community where I live but also in the world. Being part of an organization like Hitachi Energy allows me to do this in my daily work.

In my first professional experience, I was a sustainability consultant in a construction consultancy. Going on site as a young woman and engineer who was going to review the facilities, resulted in many uncomfortable silences, loud conversations and the need to be noticed and respected, however this did not affect me and I continued doing what I love most, making a positive impact.

I am proud to say that I have always had female bosses who have inspired me to keep growing, I have been fortunate that my direct managers have always been strong women, moms, who have advised and guided me to make the best decisions. 

To future women engineers, I would tell them to go for it! It's not easy, but it's a super exciting career, there are lots of opportunities to discover what they like the most and explore it.

Karla Salinas

Market Manager for High Voltage Products

My name is Karla Salinas, and my main responsibility is the marketing of products, that is, to generate the best conditions internally to have presence in the national market.

I studied Electrical Engineering at the National Polytechnic Institute, at the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, I have two diplomas from the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores Monterrey and I have more than 12 years of experience.

I chose to study engineering because it is a discipline and field of study that relies on ingenuity to apply technical and scientific knowledge, which means keeping myself in constant preparation. I enjoy having the ability to learn and discover what is related to science, technology and research, as well as to contribute positively to society, since we are responsible for creating solutions to many problems that society demands.

In itself, engineering is a challenge and I consider that the greatest professional challenges are those that make us leave our comfort zone, and in my case it has been the development of business skills, something I work on every day to improve.

I am proud to lead a strong, capable, and skilled team that is made up of only men. As a female engineer, these are challenges that are worth facing because of the satisfaction that comes from having the respect and support of my team.

I’d advise students to be resilient. Unfortunately, there is still a gap between men and women, and they will face many challenges related to these "differences". However, they must have the ability to demonstrate with work, their ability to hold a position.

To those who are deciding what career to study, I tell them to reflect, if they do what they like, they will rarely have to work and STEM careers will keep them in constant research and development.

 #MeetOurPeople #ProudToBeHitachiEnergy