At Thompson Aero Seating, engineering is driven by curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. This International Women in Engineering Day, we're celebrating the talented women shaping our products and making an impact across the aerospace industry. We're proud to have 31 female engineers across our teams, working across design, manufacturing, testing and certification - contributing to solutions that fly on aircraft around the world. Explore their stories below.

Natalia – Mechanical Design Engineer (6 months)

Why did you choose TAS?

I chose TAS because they offer the opportunity to work with the widest range of materials and processes I've seen in any companies in the area. TAS is a large company with plenty of opportunities to see different aspects of engineering and I hope this will allow me to find my niche in the future.

What does your role involve?

As a Mechanical Design Engineer my day-to-day role involves using CATIA (3D CAD Software) to take existing seat designs and adapt the design to new customers' desires. I do this whilst also maintaining and enhancing functionality plus incorporating weight saving and manufacturing time saving where possible.

What has surprised you most so far?

I have only been here just over 6 months, and my biggest surprise is how many areas of a seat I have already worked on. Day to day the work can really change which keeps it interesting.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

I would advise someone just starting out to ask as many people as many questions as possible. There is a plethora of knowledge within your many colleagues and sharing your ideas and designs in reviews, or even just a quick chat at your desk, can allow someone to teach you something new.

Jacky – Senior Engineer (12 years)

What has kept you at TAS for 12 years?

I have been in TAS for 12 years now and seen many iterations of change, all which have given me differing experiences, increased my knowledge and kept things interesting. I never thought of myself as "the girl" even in the beginning - I just liked a job where I can get stuck in!

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I enjoy the variety of daily tasks in the department I'm in, as we are not just limited to standard design work. The real-time problem-solving side allows us to think around issues in different ways to get the best solution for all stakeholders.

How would you describe the team at TAS?

We have a "can do" culture here and when I need to rely on someone, I know I can as we are in this together #TeamTAS

How has the industry changed?

The airline industry has been forced to evolve with the current climate over the years, and I think that has driven more need for efficiency and innovation, not just through the products but the processes.

Gemma – Engineer (7 years)

What's the most rewarding part of your job?

Being able to help develop our new/young engineers and offer them support and guidance in their career. The people side of the role - helping develop my team towards their individual gaols.

What interested you in engineering?

Always had an inquisitive mind but never really knew how to channel it - until my GCSE physics teacher who previously worked as an engineer in industry took time to show me the possibilities in engineering and how vast and interesting they are. From them on I knew engineering is something I wanted to pursue.

How has the industry changed?

The engineering industry as a whole is ever evolving especially with the introduction of new technologies. Since graduating in 2013 I have seen the % of women entering the industry in Northern Ireland rise significantly which is great to see and this has also been case in TAS.

What advice would you give?

It's a great field to work in and opens a lot of doors to opportunities and to work with great people. It's a career that will always stand you in good stead going forward no matter what path you end up taking. go for it 100%.

Eimear – Engineer (2 years)

What interested you in engineering?

I was intrigued by the creativity and problem-solving aspects of engineering. As an engineer you are given the opportunity to solve multiple problems with tangible solutions and be able to see your ideas shape into a physical product.

What do you enjoy most?

I enjoy seeing new projects start off in the business and being able to work on different projects each week to see how well the different departments work together to achieve that customers' expectations.

Why did you choose TAS?

I decided to apply for TAS because I saw the extensive social media presence they had on LinkedIn, and I decided I would like to be a part of that team. I had seen the incredible designs they produced over the years and how much they value all their employees; it seemed like a brilliant company to work for.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

My piece of advice would be to give everything 100% and don't be afraid to make mistakes as every day is a learning day.