Women in STEM : "Believe in yourself; that’s how you get there!”
“After my studies I had a clear goal: to work for a company that contributes to a better and more sustainable world . At Umicore, I found the perfect match. Both the corporate vision and the materials we make are in line with my outlook on/in life.” Marjon (25) is a Civil Engineer in Chemical Technology. She started working at Umicore in 2018 as a Technical Young Graduate after finishing her studies. She shares with us her path as a woman in science at Umicore: “The challenges and opportunities I have faced make me very proud and also very grateful at the same time.”
“I’m honored to be chosen as an example and share my story with young girls and women. Studies show that boys and girls perform equally well in maths and sciences at school. Yet all too often, women hesitate to embark upon a scientific and technical path”. Marjon thinks that anyone can be part of innovation and change: “Because we doubt ourselves, we are less likely to choose a scientific and technical path. That’s why my message is to believe in yourself! If you are willing and interested, then you will succeed.”
“Together we can create a more sustainable world”
As a Technical Young Graduate, Umicore gives young people the opportunity to work in four different departments for two years to enable you to get to know the organization inside out. “That was a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge and experience. I kicked off my journey in the Research & Development department where I learned a great deal and got to know many nice colleagues. Later on, I went to Cleveland in the U.S., where I took part in process optimization projects. It was a fantastic and an unforgettable experience.”
“Believe in yourself, and you’ll succeed”
Marjon is since 2020 Process Development Engineer at our Olen site in Belgium: “At the moment, I’m working on two new projects for a site in the Philippines. I help map out the chemical process and make sure that everything works smoothly from a technical point of view: from purchasing the installation components to the onboarding. Nowadays, as we all know, everything is a bit uncertain because of the Covid-19 crisis, but I hope we will be able to finalize the project as quickly as possible so that I can help the site start-up.”
Being a woman in science might seem challenging at times but at Umicore we believe in the uniqueness and talent of every employee. Just as Marjon’s motto goes: “Together we can create a more sustainable world”.
Marjon, Process Development Engineer at Umicore since 2020