Celebrations for first mother and daughter to both gain a chartered engineer qualification in an industry where only 4 per cent are female
Mother like daughter: Emily, left, and Suzanne
Two female family members from Ayrshire in Scotland are believed to be the first ever mother and daughter to both gain a qualification in a profession dominated by male engineers.
Suzanne Flynn became a chartered engineer 35 years ago and her daughter Emily has recently gained the same status. Chartered engineer (CEng) is one of the most recognisable international engineering qualifications. Of the 191,224 chartered engineers in the UK, only 8,154 (4 per cent) are female.
Electrical engineer Suzanne, 65, is a director of Swan Song Consultancy, a company specialising in the assessment of software-based safety systems. Daughter Emily, 32, is an RAF squadron leader engineering officer, who has served in Afghanistan.
Suzanne said: “I am delighted that Emily has gained this prestigious professional qualification. Engineering is one of the most rewarding and varied professions and I am pleased that Emily can look forward to many years of career enjoyment.”
Emily said: “I am really pleased to have been awarded my CEng and proud that my mother and I are the first mother-daughter to do so. Mum has been an inspirational role model.
“The RAF has ensured that I have been given the opportunity to gain the competences required and it is a fantastic place to be an engineer. Hopefully, we can also be the first mother-daughter fellows as well.”
Both Suzanne and Emily are members of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Europe’s largest engineering professional body that awards the Chartered Engineer qualification to more recipients than any other institution.
Michelle Richmond, IET director of membership, and herself a chartered engineer, said: “Gaining chartered engineer status is a massive achievement in its own right. With engineering still a male-dominated industry, Suzanne and Emily join a very select group of females to have successfully achieved the qualification. We believe they are the first mother and daughter in the UK to both achieve this internationally recognised qualification and we are delighted for them.”
Outside of the engineering world, Suzanne’s interests include travel, opera, speaking Italian and beekeeping. Daughter Emily is a keen mountaineer and has been on two expeditions to the Himalayas. She is also vice chairman of the RAF Mountaineering Association and has represented the RAF, combined services and Scotland under-18s in hockey.
Professional registration is an important milestone for any engineer or technician. It establishes their proven knowledge, understanding and competence.
In particular, registration shows your peers and employers that you have demonstrated a commitment to professional standards, and to developing and enhancing competence.
As well as the professional qualification of chartered engineer, the IET is licensed by the Engineering Council to award incorporated engineer (IEng), engineering technician (EngTech) and ICT technician (ICTTech).
