We’re marking International Women in Engineering Day on Monday 23 June by sharing the inspirational story of a mother-daughter engineering duo. Elizabeth and Katie are two generations of engineers making their mark on our railway.
Elizabeth Smith is a performance and assurance engineer at Network Rail. She has over 22 years of experience working on the railway. Her daughter, Katie Smith, is now forging her own path as an asset engineer – following in her mother’s footsteps.
Elizabeth joined us in the early 2000s, at a time when there were very few women in the engineering field. She’s witnessed the evolution of the industry In the past two decades as well as seeing her own family become part of that change.
Elizabeth said: “Having relocated to Crewe, where rail is a major employer, it felt natural to step into the industry and now, being able to work in the same sector as Katie and support her both professionally and personally has been incredibly meaningful.”
Katie Smith, 24, joined us in 2020 and now works as an asset engineer in the north west of England. Her career began in administrative roles in signalling and telecoms before moving to a frontline role within the track maintenance tech team. Katie helps make our railway safer and more resilient today in her current engineering role.
Katie said: “What drew me to rail was the scale, purpose and legacy of the industry.
“And having grown up seeing my mum’s dedication and pride in her work, I knew it was something I wanted to be part of.”
Elizabeth has supported Katie’s journey at every stage.
Elizabeth said: “Professionally, I’ve been able to mentor and guide her. Personally, I’ve been there to offer emotional support and celebrate her successes. Best of all, we’ve become role models for each other – reinforcing confidence and ambition.”
Katie agreed: “It means a lot to share this career with my mum. Her values – work hard, ask questions, never stop learning have stayed with me and helped shape who I am as an engineer.”
Elizabeth believes the industry has progressed since she first began.
She said: “When I started out, it was rare to see another woman on site. Now I get to share this career with my daughter. Watching Katie step confidently into engineering has been one of the proudest moments of my life.”
Both women want engineering to be a more inclusive space.
Katie said: “Women bring different perspectives, and diverse teams perform better – it’s proven.
“My advice? Believe in your abilities. Stay curious, ask questions, and embrace opportunities – even the ones that scare you.”
Elizabeth added: “Just go for it. People are always willing to support you, even if they’re busy.
“Don’t be afraid to change direction if you find something that better suits you – there’s space to grow in this industry.”
Together, Katie and Elizabeth show the progress and future of engineering on the railway. Their story highlights our ongoing efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Building an inclusive environment
Women account for just 16.9% of UK’s engineering sector according to figures published this May by the charity Engineering UK.
So we’re working hard to create an environment where women in engineering can thrive. We have a range of schemes to support our female staff including apprenticeships, early careers support, leadership development and family-friendly policies. And initiatives like Inspire Engineering, STEM Ambassadors and Women in Rail partnerships are working to change that by providing clear pathways into rail careers.
Supporting women and gender equality
We also have an employee network called Inspire, focussed on supporting women and gender equality. Inspire – Network Rail’s biggest employee network with over 2,400 members – has run for more than 10 years.
It’s celebrating International Women in Engineering Week with a series of events ranging from a panel of female engineers sharing their experiences to meet-ups and behind-the-scenes tours with industry partners.
In May, Inspire won the award for best network group driving gender equity and intersectionality at the Women in Rail Awards.
It followed busy year for Inspire, in which it had played a huge role for the fourth year running in getting Network Rail named in the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality list. Inspire had also been instrumental in the roll-out of female PPE and free period products at work sites.
For further information on career opportunities – including apprenticeships and graduate programmes – please visit: networkrail.co.uk/careers
