Reflections from Georgina Seely, Head of Scheme Development for SRO, on her career journey as an engineer and woman working in the water industry.

Ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day (Saturday 8 March) I wanted to reflect on my own journey as an engineer and woman working in the water industry, in the hope that I might encourage others who are considering their career options.

During my career with Thames Water, I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different roles across a wide range of infrastructure projects, right up to my current position as Head of Scheme Development for the Strategic Resource Options, where I am responsible for delivering nationally significant infrastructure projects.

These projects will protect water supply for millions of people across the South East and include a new reservoir in Oxfordshire, which would supply Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water customers, and a drought resilience project in West London.

How I got here

While my studies gave me a strong scientific background, I've always cared deeply about protecting the environment and seeing the way people live and work together, and how it shapes our communities.

After completing my degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering I was already very interested in the water industry and this led me to apply to Thames Water’s graduate programme in 1999, which enabled me to combine engineering and business development.

During my time at Thames I’ve moved through multiple roles, including design engineer and programme delivery manager, creating a diverse career path within one company. I've had the opportunity to work across both capital delivery and asset management roles, which has given me perspective on both project execution and prioritising investments.

I chose to pursue project management over a purely technical route, managing progressively larger schemes from water mains replacement to reservoir projects and a highlight included part of the Thames Water ring main extension.

Why the water industry?

What's kept me in the industry is a real sense of purpose, including our work to improve the environment while supporting communities with essential infrastructure. Even on challenging days, there's real value in providing key services that everyone depends on.

One of my main pieces of advice for women would be to share your ambitions. I had expressed an interest in working on our South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) project and when the opportunity arose to join the Strategic Resource Options team, that ambition was remembered.

Achieving Fellowship with the Institution of Civil Engineers

One of my proudest professional achievements was becoming a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2017. I'd previously (and wrongly) assumed this recognition was only for senior engineers approaching retirement.

One of my managers introduced me to another female Fellow, who encouraged me to apply. I reviewed the criteria and realised I was qualified based on my experience and responsibility. It was validating professionally and opened my eyes to not underestimating myself. It also provides credibility, especially as a woman in engineering where people might have preconceived notions of what an engineer looks like.

Progressing nationally significant infrastructure projects

As Head of Scheme Development for our Strategic Resource Options, I ensure we're developing robust designs for major infrastructure that will protect future water supply, including a new reservoir in Oxfordshire (SESRO) and water recycling project in London.

I lead a team who have diverse expertise from previous major projects. Every day we challenge our project partners to meet high standards which deliver for our customers, while focusing on health, safety and wellbeing.

We're working toward Development Consent Orders while also supporting procurement workstreams. It’s a complex process with many moving parts and longer timescales than traditional water projects.

Advice for women looking to enter engineering

Don't be put off by traditional stereotypes of engineering. Recent statistics from Engineering UK show that the proportion of women working in engineering and technology has dropped to 15.7%. At Thames Water there are opportunities for everyone and it’s also a hugely exciting time to join the water sector with record investment planned.

We need passionate individuals for our major projects and want to encourage more diversity into the industry and engineering. There are also flexible working opportunities available to develop your career at your own pace.

We’re also committed to creating an inclusive workplace and last year Thames Water won two awards at the Women in Utilities Awards 2024. The first award was for Women's Network of the Year, and the second for best EDI Initiative, for our Women's Network Allyship Programme.

You can find out more about these initiatives by taking a listen to a recent Women in Utilities podcast episode where my colleagues Dina Gillespie, Catchment Manager, and Emma Philogene, Engineering Manager discuss both programmes.

If you’re interested in maintaining existing critical assets or building for generations ahead, visit our website or speak to our recruitment team.

Georgina Seely, Head of Scheme Development for the Strategic Resource Options at Thames Water.