THE INTERVIEW
Silvia’s Voice
Industrial Sector Manager at Demont
Hello Silvia, would you like to tell us what led you to choose a STEM related course of studies?
Because of my innate propensity to scientific subjects, for chemistry in particular: I still have a great love for the humanities and art in general, but mathematics, physics and science have always been easier to me.
I followed this path also because of an individual choice: I was aware that if I had become an engineer, I would have guaranteed economic independence and I would have the opportunity to choose for myself, to be autonomous. For sure my independent nature directed my choices since I was a young girl.
Which are the significant steps that distinguish your career?
After graduating in chemical engineering at the Politecnico di Milano, I worked for about ten years for several multinationals in this city, which I chose for its strong European connotation.
Then I wanted to return to Liguria, my native region, and here Demont gave me the opportunity to build a career starting as a Project Manager and then becoming an executive in the industrial sector.
Given the roles you have played (and still play today) and you work areas, how do you describe your working experience as a woman?
I think that in the last 15 – 20 years business has changed a lot. In the 2000s, there were very few women working in chemical industry and engineering.
I remember that in 2003, when I was working as a PM in a Lombard metalworking company, I welcomed a new customer who, without giving me time to introduce myself, asked me a coffee. On my return, I gave him his coffee and, he kindly asked me to be announced to the engineer Garino (me). I don’t think it was a case of misogyny or wanting to offend me, but the roles of engineer and project manager at the time were rarely filled by women.
Over the years the situation has changed and Today there are many women who work in the engineering fields.
A lot of progress has been made even if certainly gender equality is a goal that still needs to be achieved.
Silvia, you are mom. How did you feel when you got pregnant? Were you afraid about work?
I wanted motherhood more than anything else and that’s why I thought I would have to make an extra effort to balance both the roles of mother and manager.
I always thought that I should find a way to make the two things coexist, knowing that – probably – it would take a lot of physical and mental energy and that perhaps, in some cases, there would be some costs to be paid. But I was willing to make sacrifices to have both.
In my specific case the reality exceeded expectations: I went on maternity leave with the qualification of Project Manager and when my son had not yet turned 3 years old I got the promotion to Executive. Motherhood has therefore certainly not disadvantaged me.
Has your work-life balance changed with motherhood and, if so, how?
I had to organize myself: the organization is the key factor together with the creation of a support network that you must build in order to be able to manage the family and work needs simultaneously.
Apart from possible emergencies, normality is totally covered (family, babysitting, extended time at school, etc…). It’s clear that I need someone to take care of my son during my working hours: it is all a matter of organization and fair balance of needs and times.
In some cases, the company’s support also comes in handy and the more a company is structured like Demont the easier it is: I work with a team of people, I am not alone as a freelancer, so – in case of unforeseen events – I always have the opportunity to get help from my teammates.
Looking at the statistics it emerges how the belief that a woman returning from motherhood is less efficient in the workplace. What do you think?
As I’ve already said, I became an executive between my pre – and post-maternity and this is already a significant fact.
In my experience I can only say that my efficiency increased as well as the ability to focus on the essential things and perform them in the best way, faster and optimized because you want, and you have to manage everything at the same time.
With motherhood, women learn to manage their time, to coordinate many more things simultaneously and this increases their effectiveness and efficiency even in the management of work.