Rolls-Royce engineer wins women’s achievement award

30 November 2012  

A CHIEF engineer at Rolls-Royce has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at an award ceremony at The Institution of Technology and Engineering on 29 November.

Belinda Swain was presented with the Women of Outstanding Achievement Award from WISE, an organisation which pays tribute to women who have significantly achieved in science, technology, engineering and maths over their career.

Belinda Swain, who studied Physics at Oxford University, joined Rolls-Royce in 1985. Belinda also worked with Airbus on the investigation into the Air France Concorde accident, and now holds the position of Chief Airworthiness Engineer, to improve civil aviation safety. Belinda, who has three children, demonstrates mothers can have successful senior careers in STEM industries.

Ms Swain said: “My proudest moment was getting the job as Rolls-Royce Chief Engineer for the EJ200 turbofan engine, the engine that powers the Eurofighter Tycoon.  It was a job I’d coveted from early on in my career and having responsibility for such a high-tech product proved the company’s confidence in my abilities.”

The awards were held on the same day that the organisation announced that women make up less than five per cent of graduates employed in the high technology and auto motive sectors.