July 30, 2026
July 30, 2026 • 2 min read
Worley engineers step up where a stereotype tried to step in
When a 12-year-old student was told engineering is ‘really hard for a girl,’ more than 30 Worley engineers wrote back to prove otherwise.
When 12-year-old Emma* from Calgary, Canada, told her classroom she wanted to be an engineer, her teacher responded, “That’s really hard for a girl. Are you sure you want to do that?” The comment shook her confidence.
It reached Cheryl Zahara, Senior Vice President of Global Project Services, through a mutual friend. Cheryl isn’t an engineer, but she turned to the Women of Worley network and asked colleagues to send words of encouragement to the young girl.
The response was immediate.
30 letters. One message: you belong.
Engineers and professionals across Worley wrote more than 30 personal letters sharing careers that span continents, disciplines and decades.
A few of the words they sent:
- “Engineering has never been about gender – it is about curiosity, passion and commitment.”
- “Their doubt does not define your future. Their opinion does not determine your capability. Keep going.”
- “If you’re curious… you already belong, you are already a future engineer.”
Cheryl delivered the letters to Emma, encouraging her to pursue her dreams.
Why it matters
Women remain underrepresented in engineering. Early comments, whether from a teacher, a relative or a classmate, can shape who sees themselves in the profession and who walks away.
“This is what inclusion looks like in practice,” Cheryl said. “Engineering is open to anyone who is curious and willing to learn. Thirty individual voices came together to send a clear message: You can do this.”
The through-line
The letters describe engineering the way our people live it: curiosity, persistence and a willingness to solve hard problems. That’s the same mindset our engineers bring to the projects we deliver for customers around the world. It’s the future we’re helping build, one conversation at a time.
* Name changed for privacy reasons.
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