JCG alumni named in UK’s 'Top 50 Women in Engineering'

Monday, 30 June 2025 07:00

Rachel Hayden has volunteered for over 700 hours reaching more than 38,000 people in the UK.

A former Jersey College for Girls student is one of the UK's 'Top 50 Women in Engineering'.

Rachel Hayden, a civil engineer from Jersey, has made it into the UK's Top 50 Women in Engineering for 2025.

It recognises her STEM volunteering, which has reached 38,000 people through over 700 hours, and her contributions to the profession.

The list has been published by the Women’s Engineering Society to mark International Women in Engineering Day..

Rachel became an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) STEM Ambassador in 2017 and has led industry-wide action on sexual harassment:

"More women are coming into the industry, but we need to see more of us here, too.

"I've been working hard with the Institution, as well as within my own company through various schemes and initiatives, to make our industry more inclusive and somewhere that more people want to join."

She remembers a moment at school where she realised her passion:

“If it hadn’t been for a pasta bridge (building) competition run by engineers when I was 16, I might never have discovered civil engineering.

“I was then very lucky to have my DT teacher, Mr. Jones, encourage me to apply for an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship.

" It's so nice to see students that I've helped - even from JCG - actually now studying at university. One of them is on the same scholarship scheme that I was on, but with the company that I work for now.

"It's really nice to see them progress and have a fulfilling career too."