In celebration of International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2025, W5 hosted a powerful and inspiring event in collaboration with The Big Bridge, Design ID, and SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) on Friday 20 June 2025.
Over 100 girls aged 11-13 from schools across Northern Ireland gathered at W5 to take on The Big Bridge Workshop – a hands-on, interactive travelling event that saw participants build a 13-metre-long bridge, with the aim of sparking curiosity, confidence, and ambition among the next generation of female engineers.
INWED, which takes place annually on 23 June, shines a spotlight on the vital role women play in engineering and technology – industries that remain significantly male-dominated, with just 11% of engineers in Northern Ireland being female. The Big Bridge Workshop is part of a growing movement to change that by offering girls hands-on experience, mentorship, and meaningful exposure to female role models within STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths).
Elaine Steele, Learning and Engagement Team Lead at W5, said: “We believe that STEM is for everyone, and this event showed what’s possible when educators, industry, and engineers come together. We’re literally and figuratively building bridges by giving females the opportunity to explore engineering first-hand and connect with women thriving in the field. Events like this are crucial for helping young women realise that they belong in STEM.”
This ambitious initiative was the result of a powerful local partnership between W5, The Big Bridge, and Design ID. Together, these organisations created an engaging educational experience that blended real-world engineering, career insight, and inspirational mentorship in a supportive environment.
Amy Dillion, Project Director at The Big Bridge and Principal Engineer at Design ID, commented: “The Big Bridge is proud to give young people a hands-on, inspiring introduction to engineering. This event is about connecting female students with real engineers and showcasing the impact they can have on the world. We are hoping to build a future that is more diverse, and celebrating International Women in Engineering Day is a powerful way to recognise the fantastic talent we have in Northern Ireland.”
This year’s event also included key support from SONI, the electricity transmission system operator for Northern Ireland. SONI’s support, technical insights, and role model participation was instrumental to making the event possible.
Emma Morris, Director of Operations at SONI, added: “We’re proud to have supported this important educational event at W5 as part of International Women in Engineering Day 2025. We are passionate about helping to develop the talent of the future and encourage young people, particularly women, into STEM careers. Events like this are crucial as they help to show young people that engineering is an exciting, creative, and innovative career choice. It was great to see that so many pupils headed to W5, and we hope this event inspired them to consider a career in engineering.”
For more information about International Women in Engineering Day, please click here.
Discover more about The Big Bridge event at W5 here.
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