By Mr. Billy Mak
The captioned workshop, themed “Shaping Visibility for Women in Engineering,” was held successfully on 28 February 2026. The event commenced with inspiring welcome remarks from Ir Alice CHOW, President of the HKIE, followed by insightful sharing from Ir John CHAN, Chairman of HKIE-BSD, and Ir Marsden KONG, Deputy Chairman of HKIE-BSD. The workshop brought together women engineers for an evening of dialogue, empowerment, and professional development.
During the interactive group sessions, participants engaged in deep discussions across several critical topics. Attendees explored the career journeys and challenges faced by women in engineering, noting the need to navigate generation gaps and demanding on-site environments. To overcome these hurdles, participants emphasized the importance of approaching the profession with a sense of mission and recognizing its direct impact on public health. Leadership was also a key focus, with participants highlighting that gaining recognition requires demonstrating efficiency, strong problem-solving skills, and the invaluable ability to accept and integrate the views of others.
Another major theme was work-life balance and personal well-being. Practical strategies were shared, such as grouping site visits into two to three days to leave time for focus work, using digital tools to automate repetitive tasks, and establishing clear boundaries between work and home life. In terms of effective communication on project sites, attendees highlighted the necessity of well-preparedness, beforehand liaison, and utilizing soft skills to handle tough discussions respectfully. The discussions also reinforced the value of mentorship and support networks, particularly in navigating the HKIE career path and providing visible role models.
Following the group sharing, participants enjoyed an interactive Personal Image Workshop led by coach Ms. Carmen WAN. She introduced the concepts of personal color, body shape, and style coordination. The session featured practical tips and demonstrations. These enabled attendees to learn how to enhance their natural features and project a confident, authentic image, helping them remain calm in all professional settings.
Overall, the workshop successfully created a supportive environment that celebrated the resilience and strengths of women engineers. It empowered attendees to enhance their professional presence and actively shape a more visible and influential future in the building services engineering field.
