
"I am just as good an engineer and team leader as all the men"
Breaking through Moroccan glass ceilings
Hamburg / 11 February 2021
Women across the world face tougher hurdles to enter the jobs market, and even tougher to reach management positions. Soumia Benamrane, head of quality management at Siemens Gamesa's blade plant in Tangier, Morocco, has taken many strides forward in her career to break through the glass ceiling. We spoke to her to mark International Women and Girls in Science Day about her background, responsibilities, and why she chose to embark on a STEM career.

Born in Rabat, Soumia enjoyed a nomadic childhood thanks to her father's professional career. She moved from one Moroccan city to the next, learning new languages, dialects and customs that make up the country's diversity. She started her professional career as a quality manager after graduating as a mechanical engineer from Casablanca Engineering University (ENSEM) 19 years ago.

To be successful in this job, I believe one must be driven by the idea that there is always a better way to do everyday tasks and have the ambition to deliver projects that fully meet the customers' needs. I take pride in the valuable contribution that the blade plant in Tangier is making to Morocco's strategic Green Generation Plan, which aims to generate 50% of the country's total energy capacity with green energy by 2030.
Also, before joining Siemens Gamesa, I worked many years in the aerospace and automotive industries as a quality manager.

Throughout my career, regardless of the industry or work environment, I have always pushed myself to work harder and made sure to be heard by colleagues of all genders. Since I am the only woman in the operations leadership team at our Tangier plant, I am determined to make people understand that I am just as good an engineer and team leader as all the men, if not better. It shouldn't be about gender, it should be about skills, qualifications and the value that person can add to the company.
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science!