Celebrating Two Years of Women in Engineering 

The Driving Force 

Women in Engineering in Sweden is led by Kristina Westerberg, People Manager, a true advocate for diversity and inclusion. She isn’t only the Zone Ambassador for Sweden and the Nordic region, but also in the North-East Europe, including countries such as Belgium, Poland, and UK. 

When the possibility to be engaged in this community, Kristina saw it to be a very natural step for her. She was during the student time involved in similar communities, and she recognized the need for a platform where women in the industry could connect, share experiences, and support each other’s growth.  

She shared her journey into the industry. As a teenager, she struggled to identify with the role of an engineer because the portrayals she saw in media and books depicted a type of person that wasn’t her. She needed a role model and found one in her aunt. Now, she and her colleagues can be role models, not only for young people but to all colleagues. Women in Engineering is a community that doesn’t just talk about diversity and change – they are making changes and educating others. Diversity is essential in this field. 

“Engineers build the foundation of our communities. To create a society that is representative and accessible to all, those who build it must reflect the diversity of the society itself,” Kristina shares, giving examples of seat belts designed primarily for men and many medicines that follow the same pattern. 

The Heart of the Initiative 

Women in Engineering is a glowing community brought to life by its committed ambassadors like Alicia Lundh, Life Science Consultant, and Sigrid Österling Sicking, Software Engineering Consultant.  

Sigrid’s dream was to create a network for women in Capgemini Engineering. When the initiative was launched, she immediately got on board. Alicia joined Capgemini Engineering at the beginning of the community’s formation and quickly became involved. Both see immense value in this initiative, which plays a significant role in why they work at Capgemini Engineering. It provides a space to be creative, collaborate with others, drive change, and engage in activities beyond their consulting roles. 

They work in different locations in Sweden, each with unique opportunities. Sigrid, based in the smaller location of Karlstad, doesn’t have a natural community nearby. She views Women in Engineering as an excellent network for gaining new perspectives and connecting with colleagues from other cities. Alicia, who works in Malmö where the initiative has grown and hosts many events, echoes this. She shares that, thanks to this community, she now has global contacts. It builds bridges between offices and around the world, truly embodying the spirit of One Capgemini. 

To becoming an ambassador, they recommend following your passion. Alicia has been involved in events related to her passion for global health. They have organized webinars on destigmatizing diseases, where she and her colleagues discussed various conditions.  

“It was a beautiful and intimate event, both authentic and vulnerable. This has led to more open dialogues where people feel safe to share their conditions, fostering greater understanding among us all,” Alicia shares. 

Sigrid emphasizes the importance of connecting with young people to showcase what engineers do.  

“There is a need to increase interest in engineering here in Karlstad, where the interest is low, especially among girls. It’s a fun field, and it’s even more enjoyable and balanced with diversity, bringing different perspectives to the teams.” 

Being part of Women in Engineering is also a great way to advance your career and personal development. They organize numerous events and lead projects, which can significantly boost confidence and skills. 

What is Women in Engineering? 

Launched in 2022, Women in Engineering was created to address the underrepresentation of women across engineering field. With a focus on increasing the number of female engineers at all levels of seniority, the initiative places special emphasis on encouraging women to pursue and sustain leadership roles in engineering.  

Currently, women make up around 37% of Capgemini Engineering in the Nordics and improving gender balance is an ongoing challenge. To achieve lasting change, we must collaborate, share best practice, and leverage learnings from across our global network. This is why Women in Engineering was established globally and locally. To both encourage women at Capgemini and be role models for future engineers. 

Over the past two years, the initiative has evolved into a vibrant community that offers workshops, networking events, and mentorship programs. These efforts are aimed at empowering women, challenging industry norms, and driving real change. As part of the global Women@Capgemini network, we are proud to be present in 21 countries, supported by 48 local ambassadors, and a growing number of volunteers committed to making a significant difference. 

Celebrating Two Years: A Year of Progress 

As Women in Engineering marks its second anniversary, the achievements of the past years stand out as a testament to its growth and impact. Some of the key highlights in Sweden: 

• IGEday (Introduce a Girl to Engineering): Girls aged 13-19 visited our offices to learn about the diverse roles within engineering.  

• Career Break: Invited women with engineering backgrounds, who have taken a career break due to, for example, moving to Sweden or having children. The event aimed to inspire them to balance family and career and provide tips on re-entering the job market.  

• Destigmatizing Diseases webinar: Three women shared their experience with various diseases, breaking down stigma and misconceptions. 

• Breast Cancer webinar: A colleague shared her inspiring journey of battling and overcoming breast cancer. Her story provided hope and encouragement. 

• International Women’s Day: Information about parental benefits to support gender equality in the workplace. 

• Menstrual Hygiene Day: Awareness through an informative session covering the menstrual cycle, related health conditions, diet, exercise, and the link between menopause and gender inequity in workplaces.  

Looking back, it’s clear that Women in Engineering has created a lasting impact in a short time. But looking forward, Kristina, Alicia and Sigrid, and the entire community are more motivated than ever to continue the journey toward a more inclusive engineering landscape. 

“This is just the beginning”, Kristina says. “We are looking on how we can grow the initiatives more globally, to share experience and create events and activities with other countries. Together, we will continue to drive our passion and be role models.” 

Happy two-year anniversary to Women in Engineering – here’s to many more years of growth, empowerment, and breaking barriers.