Three Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) alumni took the centre stage at a webinar on “From Campus To C-Suite: Women Engineers Leading India’s Tech Boom” on Sunday to share their career journeys and leadership experiences.
The webinar was organised by the VIT, Vellore, in collaboration with The Hindu Education Plus, as part of the Career Path series, to mark International Women’s Day.
While opportunities exist and women are actively breaking the glass ceiling in engineering, barriers remain in reaching top leadership positions. The panellists spoke about the challenges they faced and shone light on key skills required to excel in competitive tech environments.
“Since certain engineering disciplines, such as mechanical, chemical and metallurgical, are not quite identified as women’s bastions, the fear of failing and criticism keeps the women away,” observed Dr. Sharmila Nageswaran, Associate Professor at School of Electronics Engineering, VIT Vellore.
She said not every woman is motivated to take up an engineering course or a job, and the mindset of the family often decides her career path. “Women look after the family after motherhood, or they relocate for the spouse; so they need to be supported with Work From Home or online jobs,” she suggested.
