CEA Technologies and Engineers Australia mark International Women in Engineering Day in Canberra

CEA Technologies and Engineers Australia co-hosted a “sold-out” Canberra breakfast event to mark International Women in Engineering Day 2026.

The event brought together a range of engineers, senior members of Defence, members of the ACT Legislative Assembly and Federal Parliamentarians to consider what more can be done to attract, retain and support women across the sector.

A highlight of the morning was the keynote address from Dr Helen Cartledge, Navy Engineering Authority Delegate for the Royal Australian Navy Surface Fleet Integrated Combat and Undersea Warfare Systems.

Dr Cartledge drew on her upbringing in a remote village in southern Siberia and her career across the fields of Defence, science, technology and national security to speak about resilience, diversity of opinion and the importance of finding purpose in engineering work.

Her address highlighted the judgement, perspective and collaboration that women in engineering bring to complex challenges.

The event also featured a panel discussion led by CEA Technologies Non-Executive Director Amanda Holt, with Dr Cartledge, CEA Technologies Chief Executive Officer Alan Clements AM CSC, and Arup Chief Officer APAC, Business and Markets Kate West.

Together, the panellists explored leadership, capability development and the role large engineering organisations can play in cultivating, retaining and lifting up diverse workforces across the broader industry.

CEA Technologies Chair of the Board, Joycelyn Morton, reflected on the company’s commitment to supporting women in engineering and strengthening pathways for future technical leaders.

Joycelyn is the first female Chair in the company’s 42-year history and is proud that 50 per cent of the Board are women.

Supporting events such as International Women in Engineering Day reflects CEA Technologies’ commitment to Australia’s engineering workforce and encouragement of women to pursue and progress to leadership roles in their engineering careers.

As Australia continues to grow its sovereign engineering and advanced manufacturing capability, diverse perspectives and strong technical leadership have, and will always be, essential to shaping the future of the profession at CEA Technologies.

CEA Technologies acknowledges Engineers Australia, the speakers, panellists, organisers and volunteers who helped deliver a successful and engaging event.