BUSINESS WOMEN OF THE OKANAGAN | February 2023

Women make up more than half of the Canadian population but are significantly underrepresented in engineering education and in the engineering profession. Over the past decades, the number of women enrolled in post-secondary engineering programs has risen, as has the number of women in the engineering profession. Yet despite steady increases in the representation of women, men still vastly outnumber women in engineering.

The Engineers Canada Board aims to raise the percentage of newly licensed engineers who are women to 30 percent by the year 2030. Thirty percent is held as the tipping point for sustainable change. Reaching ‘30 by 30’ will help drive cultural change in the engineering profession, supporting even more significant involvement of women in the profession.

RJC Engineers Kelowna office is fortunate to exceed the 30 by 30 goal with its leadership team, half are women. Deanna Perrin, Crystal Wegner, and Jocelyn Dickie bring their passion for buildings, leadership, expertise, and creativity to every project. They are leaders within RJC, industry, and their profession. Through their achievements and mentorship, they are role models for other women in engineering.

Deanna’s skillset complements RJC’s broad service offerings on unique building structures of various construction material types, including concrete, steel, timber, and masonry. During a recent leave, she served as a sessional instructor at the School of Engineering at the University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus) for two fourth-year structural engineering courses in reinforced concrete design and concrete rehabilitation. Her leadership at the University has had a direct impact on helping to raise the visibility of women in engineering.

Crystal’s determination and professionalism have always been vital facets of her work. She demonstrates personal integrity and inspires others to do the same. Working closely with the project team, Crystal draws on her strong technical knowledge of buildings and project management skills to meet clients’ needs. In recognition of how she distinguished herself and demonstrated leadership, Crystal received the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia Professional Leadership Award for Women in Technology.

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