This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives the voice to Annemarie Schouten, head of Solar Development Netherlands at Vattenfall. She says it wasn’t always easy to establish yourself in a male-dominated sector and explains how finding mentors can provide good support in dealing with unequal treatment. “I would tell younger colleagues entering this industry to surround themselves with other people,” she said. “People who are not alone like you. We need this diversity of views, insights and ways of working to tackle the challenges ahead.”
As a law student, I came across an article about smart grid regulation in the EU. The complexity of an electricity system with fluctuating energy sources caught my attention. I wrote my master’s thesis on the subject and was sold. I wanted to work in the sustainable energy sector; I wanted to make an impact. It can be that simple.
Working at a company that is truly mission-driven has helped me find my way in the industry. In my career I have and have inspiring people around me who have guided, coached and given me feedback. The guidance of these experienced men and women has helped me to grow and take the right steps.
The energy sector is generally male-dominated. In my experience, the solar sector is not very different. I believe that the entire sustainable energy sector could use more feminine energy. I believe that we as people and organizations will need to work more together to overcome the systemic challenges we have and will face. Listening to and taking society along on our path to fossil freedom is also essential. By being open to new solutions, ideas and business models we stay on that path.
However, I noticed that it wasn’t always easy to establish myself in a male-dominated industry. Sometimes it felt like there was a magnifying glass on how I said things, how I presented myself, how I dressed. Sometimes it felt like I had to say something ten times, while my male colleagues would get it done just once. I would love it if younger women had a different experience.
The challenge here is that if you are in a male-dominated industry, these men tend to choose people like them in the hiring processes. This is just human action. The first thing would be to recognize this and be open to diversity. I see that quite a few companies, such as Vattenfall, focus on diversity. So the first steps have been taken, but I have the feeling that we still have a long way to go. I would also like to encourage the many inspiring and good women in the sector to dare to take a leading position. More women in recruiting positions will lead to more women being hired. But let’s not fall into the trap of only hiring women because of a key performance indicator (KPI) that needs to be achieved. It’s really about bringing together a mix of people, a mix of energy, a mix of backgrounds, a mix of cultures and a mix of experiences.
I would tell younger colleagues entering this industry to surround themselves with other people. People who are not alone like you. We need this diversity of views, insights and ways of working to tackle the challenges ahead. And get a mentor. Or two, or three. Talk about your experiences and find guidance.
Interested in participating in Women in Solar Europe together with Annemarie Schouten and other female leaders and experts from the industry? Find out more: www.wiseu.network
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