Leanne Taylor, head of content - plastics, Rapid News led a healthcare discussion on women in plastics on the healthtech stage at this year’s Med Tech Innovation Expo.
The panel consisted of three women who were each introduced in turn by Taylor. They were:
- Dr Artemis Stamboulis, senior lecturer in biomaterials and nanomaterials, University of Birmingham
- Helena Flowers, owner and managing director, Andel Plastics
- Rebecca Smith, national territories manager, Connect2Cleanrooms
Taylor began by asking each of the speakers how they had begun their careers within the medical plastics industry.
Smith spoke positively about seeing a successful woman within the business and having the opportunity to learn from her. For the last eight years Smith has worked for Connect2Cleanrooms and mentioned how supportive the organisation is.
Stamboulis then described how she had initially completed a degree in polymer science and engineering to work for her family company. However, she mentioned how, “the boys in the company had some sort of priority”, and how they had been “considered to be better.” It was as a result of the lack of opportunities for Stamboulis within this company, that she decided to in her words to, “do something completely different.” She then went in to research following completion of her PhD.
Flowers told how her story began similarly to Stamboulis’ as she also went in to a family business. However, Flowers mentioned how her mum had always said, “there is no such thing as a female job or a male job.” Unlike Stamboulis, Flowers remains in her family business having taken over the business in 2003, and now owning the business herself.
Taylor asked about balancing a family and a career, and how employers could support women more with this.
Stamboulis said how she believed if women have the motivation to do things then they will get them done. However, in order to do this women need flexibility from employers. Stamboulis also stated how some of her colleagues had made the decision not to have children so they could have a career. She asked, “is this really a choice?”
Smith added that her organisation allows people to have the flexibility to do things like picking their children up from school. Smith thought she was lucky to work in an organisation that embraces this and believes that men and women in any organisation where there isn’t this type of flexibility should get in involved in making this the reality.
Flowers stated that this topic affects men as well as women, as men often have wives who have children, and therefore will face these challenges indirectly.
Taylor then asked the women what they thought the advantages of having women within the workplace were.
Smith commented: “Whatever race, sexual orientation, gender – we need to start to recognise the more diversity you have in an organisation, the better it is.”
Stamboulis said, “there are some opportunities, but there are not enough.” Stamboulis thought that women needed to be encouraged to apply for more senior positions, and thinks that, “often women feel if I don’t get this job I have failed. Women can be afraid to challenge themselves.” She suggested job adverts need to be written in a different way.
Flowers explained how she is attempting to recruit a female currently due to the different way they look at things. She is working on a job advert that she hopes will encourage women to apply.
As the discussion came to a close the women gave their concluding remarks. Stamboulis stated, “I’m not interested in being in competition with men. I would like women to be confident and believe in themselves. We are equal.” Smith commented: “Don’t allow yourself to be a victim. Don’t sit there and think I’m not doing that because I’m a woman. You have to back yourself, then it is much easier to get others to back you.” Together Smith and Flowers agreed you have to, “be your own champion.”