b'IWIED 2023Each year on the 23rd June 2023, we celebrate International Women in Engineering Day. To mark this years celebration, Kelly Group is proud to recognise our valued female engineering heroes. With this years theme being Make Safety Seen, were thrilled to take the opportunity to introduce you to Chanelle Edwards, whose responsibility as Traffic Management Operative is very much safety focused and a selection of female engineers sharing their inspiration and tips for those who are considering a career as an engineer.Chanelle EdwardsTraffic Management OperativeFrom Fashion Designer to Traffic Management Operative / Admin IwenttouniversityEven though I still enjoy fashion in my spare time and complete road closures. What I enjoy the most forinternationalmy focus is ondoing my job to the best of my ability.about my job is the people. I also like the idea that fashionproductionIm in a position where I know how I can keep people management,afterIhad the opportunity to work behindsafe by closing or diverting routes ensuring our obtainingmythe scenes in the office which opened myengineers can do their jobs efficiently. My proudest degree I went onachievement as a traffic management operative is an extraordinaryeyes up even more to how much there isgaining all the necessary qualifications and tickets journey and hadto traffic management for traffic management. I was working in traffic thepleasuretomanagement during my pregnancy up until the point bepartofmanyI dont think I could be permanently office basedwhen it was safe to do so, and Im grateful that the projects in the fashionbecause I genuinely enjoy being a traffic managementGroup provided the opportunity to transfer to our industry including a TVoperative, spending time outside and having theoffice team for the remainder of my pregnancy. It show called Flower Fightopportunity to learn from those engineers who wewas a great opportunity to learn more about the alongside my friend. The show opened a door ofare supporting with traffic management procedures.administration involved in traffic management and opportunities to explore, then the global pandemicsince thenslowed the fashion industry down and I was interested in exploring a new career path. I have a few familyBilly Swan has been my biggest supporter since theIam proud to work in a hybrid role members who have established careers in Trafficbeginning of my journey. Not only has he thoughtsupporting the company both in the Management, and they inspired me to complete allme a lot about traffic management, but hes beenoffice and in the field.necessary street work tickets allowing me to workinstrumental in ensuring my success. Hes done it with them occasionally at the time. During theall and worked his way up to area manager which pandemic, it seemed like an obvious choice to utiliseinspires other operatives within our team.my skillset and generate an income for my family as a traffic management operative. I was workingA Day in My Life as a Traffic shifts through an agency at the time, and a fellow operative mentioned Kelly Group and it sounded likeManagement Operative an interesting and great path to explore.Wegetourscheduletheday beforeandourpackswhich Kelly Group Training Journey always include a description of While I was going through the application andthe location and equipment interviewprocess,IresearchedKellyGroupswell need the following day.background and I was in awe of the number ofIt could vary from traffic contractswereinvolvedwith,itprovidesthelightstwo,threeor opportunity to diversify your skillset further. Thefour-way to redirecting training journey was a great experience, I was thepedestrians. only female who was completing the course at theSometimesyou time; however, I wasnt uncomfortable at allI amcouldbeworking very secure with myself.individually, dependingonthe type of work you could A lthough it is a male-dominatedalsoworkwithateam. industry, I remain very secure in myWe tend to start our day bypackinguptherequired femininity equipmentatourlocaldepot andthenweheadouttoeach location allocated to us for the day The Networker Summer 2023 15.'