No room for boredom when you work in engineering

Interview | June 21, 2023

Wendy Vink joined ABB in the Netherlands as Account Manager for Measurement & Analytics two and a half years ago. Ahead of International women in engineering day, we asked Wendy about her journey in the STEM field and what it has been like working in engineering.

Wendy Vink has been interested in technology for as long as she can remember. This is the reason she chose the STEM field for her education early on.

“Already at school, I was inspired by technology. I choose an education in photonics and optotechnics. This was not the most popular career path for girls at the time but, generally speaking, the STEM field was open to women.”

When she started her first job in technology, she realized that the technology industry was a perfect fit for her.

“It allows for continuous and dynamic development, with no room for boredom when you work in engineering. This is the most rewarding industry and work in the world for me.”

As a woman engineer, Wendy finds that sometimes starting a new project or working with a new customer requires an extra step.

“Sometimes, I feel that, as a woman, I have to prove myself in order to earn the trust. Once I have shown my competence and that I am the right person for the job, it’s almost like I have gained the trust for life. Once I am over this first hurdle, everything goes smoothly.”

Working at ABB

Wendy joined ABB two and half years ago.

“When I think of that time, I have only one word in my head: ‘happy’. I am part of a fantastic team where we look out for each other and work together to achieve common goals. That is why the ABB value ‘Care’ means so much to me. After all, people are the most important aspect of any business, and they are the ones who can make it successful.”

Wendy gets a lot of satisfaction from working on projects at customer factories or working together with the ABB team on solutions that are used to get new business.

“This gives me a real kick,” she says.

One accomplishment that stands out for her is a tender she worked on for a large international gas company.

“We got to supply more than 500 pressure transmitters for the customer on this project. This is one of the largest pressure transmitter projects of its kind in the Netherlands, and I am honored to have been a part of it. It was a great example of incredible teamwork. It was a lot of work, but it was followed by a great sense of accomplishment.”

Be brave and go for it

For those women evaluating a career in STEM, Wendy has this advice.

“If you're just starting out in STEM and are worried about how you will fit in in an industry where men outnumber women, don't be. Go for it! If this is your passion, follow your heart. You will succeed if you believe you will. You must be prepared for difficulties at times, but you will emerge stronger than before.”

Having said that, at ABB, Wendy feels valued and respected for who she is and, in her opinion, it shouldn’t make a difference if you are a woman or a man. She is happy that ABB encourages diversity and inclusion.

“For open technical roles, ABB specifically invites women to apply. In this and other ways, ABB is quite progressive,” she adds.

In addition, she says that ABB supports work life balance and offers, for example, flexible working hours for women with children.

About Wendy

Wendy Vink joined ABB in the Netherlands in January 2021. She is currently Account Manager for Measurement & Analytics, supporting ABB’s clients in the northeast part of the Netherlands.

Years at ABB: 2.5 years

Initiatives/products worked on so far: close to 20

Superpower: Persistence