How Growth Happens for Women in Engineering at SMP

In July 2025, SMP launched the SURGE initiative, an internal professional development program spearheaded by Helen Hiloma and Jaipreet Basi. Built as a six-session growth journey around community, technical development, and advocacy, SURGE was created to support and empower women across the firm and to help them build confidence, leadership capabilities, and meaningful growth. Across these sessions led by our HR lead, Renee Groeland, women in various positions at SMP came together to share personal experiences, questions, and insights surrounding career development, building equity, and the moments where they leaned on allies for support, as women in engineering. 

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Seeing that SMP was willing to invest in the growth of women in our office deeply inspired me. This was the first time in my experiences in engineering where leadership had shared a curiosity I had: how does growth happen for women in engineering? 

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Within my personal and academic experiences, it became very clear to me that there were very few women in the field I was pursuing. Throughout high school, I had taken advanced placement math; as the years progressed, I went from being in classes where girls made up half of the students to being one of only five girls in my calculus class. When I told people I was going into engineering, I distinctly remember an anecdote a few people shared with me: on the first day of classes, professors give a speech telling you to look to the person on your left and the person on your right, because only one of you will make it past first year. 

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On my first day of engineering, I walked into my first lecture of around 300 students. The room was packed, a sea of my male peers. I eyed an open seat and made my way down the row of guys, sandwiching myself into one of the few remaining seats. As I looked around the lecture theatre, I could only see a few other girls scattered throughout the room. I remembered those words. 

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The classes were rigorous, and I knew they would be academically challenging. It was often emphasized to me that only the most disciplined and brightest engineers would make it through relative to everyone else. I felt different; I did not fit the picture of what I had come to understand an "engineer" was, and I was still figuring out what it meant to be one. 

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On my first day at SMP, I was warmly welcomed by a woman at the office, Sarah Farrell. I was shown to my desk, seated between Sarah and another woman, Megan Ross. Over the next few months, they gave me professional and technical advice and shared their experiences as two women in engineering. Sarah shared technical insights on the projects I was working on; the detail-oriented and creative approach she brought to her work showed me the importance of questioning and understanding each step of design.  

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Megan brought a different perspective; through her field experience as an electrician, she helped me understand how the work we designed applied in the field, while also being someone I could turn to for encouragement and support when I was still figuring out my place in engineering. It was the first time in my engineering career that I had seen two clear examples of what women in engineering could achieve, and something I could aspire to.  

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When SURGE was first introduced at SMP, I was proud to see leadership working to create an official program where women across the firm could grow in this industry. As I took part in these conversations, I learned more about the career development of women at SMP and the personal experiences that had shaped their growth as engineers. The program gave me a new perspective on what growth could look like firsthand. 

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During SURGE's final session, Jaipreet joined our Edmonton office, where she welcomed us into a conversation about the program's conclusion. I wanted to know how women like me, beyond our office, could find connection and growth in their own careers. As Jaipreet listened to my thoughts on the program, she invited me to connect and share my insights further. I realized that I was not only able to learn and take advice from others' experiences, but that my own experience could contribute to this conversation as well. 

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In the following months, I connected with Helen Hiloma and Sanaz Ghahremanlou and learned from the different perspectives they brought to career development. Sanaz's background in architecture brought a unique perspective to engineering, emphasizing the importance of aesthetics and creativity within our industry. Her ambition and ideas about professional development encouraged me to think beyond technical skills and consider creative pathways in problem solving and design.  

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Helen brought a different perspective through her extensive technical experience in electrical engineering. Through our conversations, she shared both her knowledge of the field and her personal experiences as a woman working in electrical engineering and at SMP. 

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When I reflect on how I believe growth happens for women in engineering, I think about my personal experience with SMP. My experience here is something I deeply appreciate, and it has made a huge impact on the confidence and growth I was able to build in my abilities. It was one of the first times in my experience with engineering where I was not only able to look to dedicated female mentorship, but where this unique perspective in engineering was something to be celebrated. Sarah, Megan, Sanaz, Helen, Jaipreet, and the women I met through SURGE each showed me a different way to approach engineering and professional development. Their impact, stories, and influence helped shape the growth I have had. The SURGE initiative has created a wonderful conversation and opportunity for women like me to share, grow, and learn about what it means to be a professional in this field. 

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I am deeply grateful to have been able to take part in this conversation, and to work at a company that invests in it. I hope to continue these conversations in the future, and one day become that support for other young women entering this industry as well.