Part 2: Wilma van der Boor (RelyOn Quercus) and Daphne van Staveren (Heijmans Utiliteit Schiphol)
In this year’s editions of Power Journal, HyTEPS is focusing extensively on women working in the electrotechnical field and in other technical professions. Despite the significant shortage of skilled technical personnel, women remain underrepresented in (electro)technical education and professions. What’s still keeping women from pursuing a career in tech? And what are good reasons for choosing this path? In a series of interviews, women already working in the field share their experiences, challenges, and insights to foster understanding and drive change.
Just go for it!
Wilma van der Boor, Teacher / Advisor, RelyOn Quercus
When I was small, I wanted a fire truck—I got one, on the condition that I would actually play with it. My parents didn’t really differentiate between boys and girls. They believed children should learn a trade, but the choice of profession was entirely up to you. So, for me and my sisters, a career in technology was never ruled out from the start. One of my sisters became a medical analyst, the other a radiology technician—both pretty technical professions. My parents emphasized the need for boys and girls to be independent and master practical skills, like repairing a bicycle tire or light.
I had a natural aptitude for languages, but I never found language classes at school particularly interesting. Math, on the other hand, was challenging, and therefore much more interesting. It didn’t come easily to me—I had to really think to understand concepts during my final years of pre-university education (VWO). That’s actually a great trait for a teacher – you can only explain something in easy-to-understand terms if you truly understand it.
After completing my Atheneum (pre-university education), I studied Electrical Engineering at the HTS (Higher Technical School), specializing in energy technology. After that, I worked with contractor Imtech for three years and later joined Schneider Electric, where I worked in engineering and as a product manager for high-voltage protection and energy management systems. I traveled regularly to give training sessions, which sparked my enthusiasm for teaching. After five years, I moved to ProRail, where I was responsible for high-voltage, low-voltage, and traction power supply systems. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do any teaching there, so I joined Quercus—now RelyOn Quercus—a specialist in electrical energy technology that provides courses and inspections. Most of my time is now spent teaching.
Over the past fifteen years, I’ve seen very few women joining the field. Interestingly, the women who do enter tend to have an international background. For a while, a campaign in the Netherlands encouraged girls to pursue technical careers. At the time, I thought: should we be pushing people into something that might not intereste them? But I hadn’t fully realized that girls are often actively discouraged from choosing technical careers.
For example, my niece saw Aunt Wilma had become an engineer and thought “I can do that”. So she chose the Science and Technology track in high school. Right away, her mentor asked if she realized how difficult advanced mathematics was. Later, that same mentor told a boy—who wasn’t as strong in math—that Science and Technology would be a smart choice. In the end, my niece achieved the highest math grade ever at that school. A clear example of bias, however, these are often much more subtle—yet still very present.
Another example: after I applied for a job the management team held a meeting to discuss whether they should hire a woman for the role. I only heard about this afterward.
Men and women are not the same. That’s not a value judgment; it’s a simple statement of fact. However, technical subjects are no harder for girls than they are for boys. Men might have an edge in spatial awareness, but women are often better at programming details. Men often prefer working independently in their own ‘silos,’ whereas women tend to share knowledge more readily. That’s a big advantage these days – teamwork is becoming increasingly important as electrical engineering grows more complex and interconnected.
As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, you need to immediately show that you know what you’re talking about. Use enough technical jargon for a few days, and people will accept your expertise. Eventually, no one will even notice you’re a woman.
My advice to women considering a technical study or career? Simple: if you think you’d like to do it, just go for it.
My Path to Technology
Daphne van Staveren, Installation Manager, Heijmans Utiliteit Schiphol
As a child, I wasn’t particularly interested in technology. My grandfathers were a furniture maker and a carpenter, and my father worked as an accountant. When I had to choose my subjects in high school, I picked ones I was good at—math, physics, economics, Dutch, English, and French—but I didn’t know what I wanted to become.
I ended up attending an open day at an MTS (Middle Technical School), where an enthusiastic teacher took me to an electrical engineering workshop. He had me set up a two-way switch system. I thought: “This suits me fine!”
At the MTS, we started out with four girls and 900 boys. I was the only woman to graduate. That came with challenges. There was no women’s locker room for gym class and only one women’s restroom on the ground floor of a three-story building.
During my first internship at a company with Combined Heat and Power systems, I got in touch with EWR (Energy and Water Supply Rijnland) in Leiden, where I later worked. After a series of acquisitions, I ended up working for Heijmans.
During my internship, I realized I wanted to be an installation manager. Thinking about the future of electricity, optimizing networks, and short and long term design fascinated me. However, I encountered some resistance during certain job applications. My technical expertise was questioned, and some people worried I might apply for potential maternity leave, part-time work, or whether male colleagues would accept a woman in this role.
As a woman in a technical field, you were scrutinized more closely in the past, and mistakes were less easily forgiven than errors made by men. That has improved over the years, but it still happens, and we need to stay vigilant. Workplace focus is shifting toward skill rather than gender, but true equality will only come when the gender balance in technology becomes more equal.
The challenge of electrification
When I had the chance to become an installation manager, I grabbed it with both hands. This role is everything I expected. The complexity of electrification makes the work exciting. Growing demand for electricity and evolving technologies keep things dynamic, which I love.
Unfortunately, the way in which electrical engineering us perceived still deters women. People picture hard labor, long hours, and on-call shifts. Unequal pay for the same work also discourages women. Schools, companies, and governments need to showcase the versatility of technical careers and ensure fair pay. Also, training programs and government websites should communicate more clearly what technical jobs entail. Many young people and parents find the current information confusing, leading them to choose other paths.
Education is another issue. The emphasis on theory and the lack of practical vocational training make it difficult for hands-on learners to find their place. The system is too rigid, forcing all students into one track instead of tailoring education to individual strengths.
Dutch schools use the Cito test to determines a child’s learning capacity and interests at just 12 years old. That’s not ideal. At that age, kids don’t know what they want yet. The Scandinavian model, where students receive theoretical and practical lessons until 16, would be far more effective.
The future of technology
The challenges and opportunities in technology are immense. To attract more women and young people, the sector’s image needs to change. Companies should reward talent based on performance rather than negotiation skills. Education must reflect student diversity and expose them to technical fields early.
Technology is more than just heavy work and long hours. It’s up to all of us—businesses, schools, and government—to change the perception and create a more inclusive, equitable industry.