We are inspired by all the women in engineering across our operations! From shipbuilding to paper making engineering is a fulfilling and exciting career choice for women.

We recently connected with a couple females across our operations, who are excelling in the world of engineering. They are a vital part of our growing team, and an inspiration for young girls around the world.

Helen Ocampo is a Chemical Engineering graduate from the University of New Brunswick. She works for the Transportation & Logistics Division as a Continuous Improvement Analyst. Her advice for young female engineers:

"In Engineering, do not focus on finishing first, focus on making it to the finish line and take advantage of the opportunities that you find along the way. I would tell young girls that want to get in this field to take it with a grain of salt. It is really rewarding! You just have to get in there and bring a positive attitude, an “I will work very hard mindset” and a good sense of humor. This profession opens not one but so many doors to a variety of jobs where you apply your technical and interpersonal skills. "

Liz Panikulam is an Electrical Engineering graduate from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Since 2017, she has worked for Irving Shipbuilding as a Test and Trials Specialist. Liz’s thoughts on being an engineer:

“The best part about being an engineer is the combination of theoretical and practical work. It’s a wonderful feeling to go from not knowing anything about a system, to developing a basic understanding of it, to then working on it and troubleshooting it until you are able to fully understand it and ensure it is operating as expected.

It is a very rewarding feeling when your work has a direct impact on a project and the people who will be using the product or service.”

Chelsea Hansen-Batten is an Industrial Engineering graduate from Dalhousie University. In 2019, Chelsea was one of our students hired full-time before graduation. She has been with the Pulp & Paper Division for one year now as a Business Analyst. Her advice for young girls entering the field of engineering:

“I would say not to let being a minority in the profession hold you back, engineering is a very rewarding route to take and the knowledge you gain can be applied to almost everything you do. The number of women in engineering is growing and it is a very supportive community.”

Barb Dupere is a Mechanical Engineer graduate from the University of New Brunswick. She works as an Engineering Project Manager for the Irving Group Moncton. Barb’s advice for young females thinking about engineering:

“Get engineering co-op work experience early on in your education – it helps you immensely for the remainder of your education, and the start of your career. Take a chance and apply to jobs that interest you. Take initiative with your manager to work on projects that excite and challenge you. Every job and every project teaches you something. Believe in yourself and roll up your sleeves to work hard.”

Always up for a challenge, Ayisha Corey, Director of Distribution at Kent Building Supplies began her career at JDI in 2016 with Sunbury Operations and built up her career to become the Director of Operations. She is excited for her next challenge of Director of Distribution for the Kent Building Supplies Distribution Centre in Moncton, NB.

The two most valuable skills Ayisha has gained over the course of her career are team building, for the opportunity to build people up to realize their potential, and time management, for the ability to ‘fluidly prioritize and continuously execute tasks’. Having spent some time as a teacher in her field, her message stays true to females interested in exploring Engineering as a career path: ‘Don’t let gender stop you. Diversity and thought are what should drive you forward. Start with engineering, but don’t stop there.’

Interested in a rewarding career in engineering? See our current openings: careers.jdirving.com