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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY 2026

Women Helping Engineering Happen at Air Energy

To mark International Women in Engineering Day, we spoke to women across Air Energy’s operations team. We spoke about their roles, what people may not see, and what they enjoy about working in an engineering business.

Frankie Knight, Operations Manager
Keeping the whole operation moving

Operations is often the team turning the cogs behind the scenes – making sure products are ordered, processed, delivered and dispatched to customers on time.

Frankie

My role is overseeing the day-to-day running of the Operations department, from point of order through to dispatch. Operations also acts as a bridge between Sales, Service and Accounts, so a large part of my role is making sure departments are kept up to date and working efficiently together.

Operations is often the team turning the cogs behind the scenes – making sure products are ordered, processed, delivered and dispatched to customers on time. A big part of my role is also reviewing processes and making sure the right systems and ways of working are in place to keep Air Energy running smoothly day to day.

Always remember that you can do whatever you set your mind to and you have a place here. Feel empowered to step up and change peoples’ perspectives on women in these types of industries.

Bethan Harvey-Whellams, Operations
Keeping orders moving from enquiry to dispatch

Read everything you can. Learn everything you can. You never know when you will need a skill you don’t think you have, or a skill thats not that important.

Bethan

Woman working at a desk in a modern office with colleagues and computer monitors in view.

My role involves the processing of orders and any queries which can associate with this. I also assist with the packing and dispatching of orders, and the unpacking of goods when arrived. 

The work done in the background, the phone and e-mails calls we have to make to suppliers to chase orders and fix queries which arise. This can take up more time than expected, especially when we need to continuously chase. 

Read everything you can. Learn everything you can. You never know when you will need a skill you don’t think you have, or a skill thats not that important. 

Lily Betts, Operations
Keeping customers informed and operations on track

Problem-solving is a key part of my role that often goes unseen. Anticipating potential issues, identifying solutions, and putting contingency plans in place helps ensure we can continue to provide the highest level of support to our customers.

Lily

My role involves processing customer orders and supporting customers with any queries they may have, ensuring they receive the best possible service throughout the entire order process. I work closely with both customers and suppliers to help keep projects running smoothly and efficiently.  

Problem-solving is a key part of my role that often goes unseen. Every order is unique, and unexpected challenges can arise, such as supply delays or changes in customer requirements. Anticipating potential issues, identifying solutions, and putting contingency plans in place helps ensure we can continue to provide the highest level of support to our customers.

My advice would be to go for it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and have confidence in yourself. A willingness to learn can take you a long way.

Engineering is delivered by teams – and much of the essential work happens behind the scenes.

The work may not always be visible from the outside, but it is essential to how engineering gets delivered. From order processing and supplier coordination to service scheduling and customer communication, these roles help keep projects moving, engineers supported and customers supplied. Engineering intelligence is not only technical knowledge. It is also judgement, organisation, problem-solving and teamwork.

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At Air Energy, we recognise that engineering is delivered by teams – not only by the people on the tools, but also by those planning, coordinating, supporting customers and keeping work moving behind the scenes.

To mark International Women in Engineering Day 2026, we are recognising the women across our operations team who help make that happen every day.

From order processing and logistics to service scheduling, customer communication and internal coordination, their work plays an essential role in making sure the right equipment, the right information and the right engineer reach the right place at the right time.

These roles may not always be the most visible part of engineering. But they are essential to how engineering gets delivered.

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