The Mid-Hudson SWE Section was well represented at the WE Local Cherry Hill Conference — with four section members leading four insightful sessions with a total of 10 SWE members participating!
The panel discussion, “Jill of All Trades OR Master of One,” moderated by Marie Cole with Sara Kobilka as a panelist, tackled the tough decision that many engineers face: whether to remain on a purely technical career path or transition into management. The panelists, including both mid-career and late-career engineers, shared personal experiences and provided valuable guidance on recognizing career crossroads, managing transitions, and making informed decisions between the technical or specialist track and management or generalist paths.
In “Your Degree Does Not Define You!,” Marie Cole and a panel of professionals ranging in experience discussed how STEM degrees can open doors to a wide variety of career paths beyond their original scope. They emphasized the importance of on-the-job training, mentorship, and continued education in expanding one’s career opportunities.
Jayapreetha Natesan spoke on “Tech-Savvy to Team-Savvy: Empowering Women to Lead in Engineering,” focusing on strategies for women transitioning from technical roles to leadership positions. The session introduced the SHIFT framework (Strengthen technical credibility, Harness leadership skills, Innovate with confidence, Foster collaboration, and Take charge of career growth) to help women grow as leaders in the field.
Finally, Abigail Cahen’s session, “Yes My Job: When Your Job Isn’t What You Expect,” provided strategies for navigating job mismatches, clarifying expectations with managers, and finding growth opportunities in unexpected roles.
All sessions offered valuable tools and insights for women engineers to grow, lead, and adapt to new challenges in their careers.
WE Local conferences bring together engineers and technologists of all genders at all levels for professional development sessions, networking opportunities and inspirational speakers. Find the next WE Local conference taking place in your area on SWE’s website.
