Meet our women in Engineering (Part 2)

From Finance to Marketing, Design and Construction, these women do it all! We’re continuing the celebration for International Women in Engineering Day with more stories of women in Hitachi Energy Mexico that are leading the way for equality in STEM.

Guadalupe Mijares

Marketing & Sales Operations Manager + Regions Sales Manager

My name is Guadalupe, I currently have a dual role in Hitachi Energy Mexico, and among my responsibilities are to ensure that M&S processes are efficient, plan the go-to-market in conjunction with the Sales and Marketing areas, plan the strategies that will allow us to expand our footprint in the market, as well as fulfill our annual objective always focusing on customer satisfaction and achievement of customer goals.

I studied Mechanical Engineering with a major in Management, from which I graduated with an Outstanding Performance testimonial, and I also have an MBA. I currently have 12 years of professional experience.

I am passionate about knowing how things work and, once I understand this, I want to be creative and identify parts or mechanisms that can be improved. I like knowing that the work I do every day has a real impact not only on the country's energy sector, but also on people's lives, the conservation of the ecosystem and the evolution of technology.

I believe that leading the consolidation of the Hitachi-ABB Joint Venture from 2019 to 2021 has been one of my biggest challenges, but also one of my greatest professional satisfactions. Coordinating experts from 15 diverse functional areas meant accelerated learning and being open to new ideas and trusting the team's expertise. I was the only woman in North America and the youngest person to have the role of JV Build Up Manager.

Some of the things I’m proud of in my trajectory are being selected for the Young Talents program and graduating from the Sales Operational Excellence Program, where I was the only woman in the group and the first to get the approval of the global team. In 2022, I was selected for the company's first Global Emerging Talents group, which was an unparalleled experience of learning and interacting with the company's global leaders. I was also part of the Female Talent Development Program where we have created sisterhood with other talented leaders within Hitachi Energy.

Engineering has historically had a huge gap in female talent that, if covered, can mean an accelerated advance for society and technology. Many times because of the same upbringing we hear voices that discourage us from pursuing a career path in engineering and fill us with unfounded fears: "it is very difficult", "they will not respect you", "it is very physically demanding", "that kind of work is not suitable for a woman"… but I would ask students not to be intimidated by traditionalisms and expectations that no longer belong to this century.

And to those who are already studying engineering, I would tell them not to "marry" with a single preconceived career path. It is important to be open to experiment in very diverse roles and sectors, only then we will grow professionally, expand our experience, and find that role and sector in which we see ourselves in the long term. Do not be discouraged and be willing to accept challenges!

Finally, to all women I would invite you to stop thinking about male and female leadership as if they were two different things, leadership has no gender, but has to do with passion, courage, and empathy beyond everything.

Maria José Zapata López

Finance Specialist

I’m Maria José, and I’m in the Common Shared Services Accounting team in San Luis Potosí for Brazil. I’m in charge of Travel & Expenses management, month-end closing activities, and I’m the key user for the account reconciliation balance sheets platform.

I studied Business Management Engineering with specialization in Continuous Improvement Management, and I have 4.5 years of experience. I love getting to know how everything works, what’s behind each product and service, and providing possible solutions by getting to the root of the problem.

I didn’t plan to be an engineer working in finance, but as challenging as it has been, it’s also been very rewarding. I’m now a key user for SAP and studied a lot to understand how all transactions work. I got my Green Belt certification and developed a methodology to save over $190,000 USD in a Lean Six Sigma project which I’m proud of.

I like helping coordinate operations, collaborating with Supply Chain Management and other areas in Accounts Payable and Receivable. From getting to know a project in the administrative side to helping other functions to achieve their goals. We all depend on one another.

I would say to students to dare to work and learn about something outside of their comfort zone. They may discover that they are good at something they thought they weren’t. Keep updated on trends and what is going to happen in the industry they want to work in, such as sustainable energy.

Carolina Briones

Civil Designer for Grid Integration

My name is Carolina, and part of my responsibilities are to support the civil engineering team in the execution of engineering design and construction projects of electrical substations, as well as being part of the implementation of a new methodology for the improvement in the realization of projects.

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 2019, as well as soon to finish the master’s degree in Project, Construction and Maintenance of High Voltage Electrical Infrastructures and Electrical Substations, with 8 years working in a multidisciplinary way in different branches of engineering.

I chose a career in architecture because it is one of the most creative and challenging professions in the world of design and where you can combine technology, art, and engineering, which is what I enjoy most about my creative profession.

The biggest professional challenge I have had to overcome has undoubtedly been to make my way in an environment that is mainly composed of men. And my greatest professional achievement has been to complete a broad level in the design of the architecture to later execute part of the engineering and supervise a work within the company in the electrical sector.

Students should look for a profession that they are passionate about and that will lead them to explore more corners; engineering has many branches. During your career you will receive a lot of criticism and you will have many doubts. Criticism is good. We have been accustomed, spoiled even, to reject criticism and to take it as something bad. Criticism makes us grow. Even those that are not constructive should be taken as a motivation.

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