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A 21-year-old has been named as one of Europe’s top 100 influential woman engineers for her work at BAE Systems.
Billie Sequeira spends her days at the company in Marconi Way, Rochester, designing and creating new technology and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
Billie talks to KMTV about her role
From eco-friendly buses being rolled out across London and Europe to plane engines, the technical apprentice has done it all.
Three years after being selected as one of firm’s 10 engineering apprentices, Billie never thought she would be compared to some of the leading women in her field.
The list is compiled by Inclusive Boards, which researches diversity and inclusion in large companies.
She said: “Even to be nominated was great.
“I feel humbled to be on a list with so many women who are doing amazing things in engineering.
“Some of them I’ve seen at conferences, I’ve been in the audience while they are speaking on stage, so to be included in a list among them is amazing.
"The first person I called when I found out, was my mum. She and my dad have been really supportive throughout my career.”
Billie, a former pupil of Simon Langton Secondary School in Canterbury, plans to focus on hardware development and problem solving.
She is passionate about maintaining girls’ interest in pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The Herne Bay resident said: “I go to schools and careers fairs as often as I can. I want to show young girls engineering is a tangible career path.
“It is such a varied sector, there is something for everyone. The reaction is always really positive.
“I give talks and assemblies on the gender stereotypes and breaking that glass ceiling which really does not have to be there.
“Anyone can do it, you don’t have to fit a type, I would say I’m a girly-girl, I still get my nails done.”
Her manager, Gary Dawson, said: “Billie has shown a natural flair for communicating with others and carries herself with authenticity. She is an excellent ambassador for our apprenticeship scheme. This was a lovely surprise.”
