BAE SYSTEMS & KENT FA
KENTWOMENINBUSINESS
KENT WOMEN IN BUSINESS :
PAM WILSON
BAE SYSTEMS & KENT FA
Pam is engineering leader at BAE Systems , football coach at Barming Youth Football Club and a Kent FA volunteer . Traditionally , football and engineering have been seen as male-dominated areas , however in recent years , Pam has experienced more women getting involved in both .
Pam ’ s employer , BAE Systems , sponsors the Kent FA Female Volunteer Forum , which brings local female football volunteers together several times a year to share ideas , network and take part in activities . “ Helping women grow and stay in challenging roles is something both BAE Systems and Kent FA have in common ,” says Pam . “ It can be a lonely place being in a minority and women in male-dominated environments often suffer from imposter syndrome .”
In 2020 , Pam received The Institute for Engineering and Technology ’ s Gender Diversity Ambassador Award for her work towards gender equality in the engineering industry . Pam also serves as a guest speaker at the Kent FA Female Volunteer Forum , giving talks on the synergies between women in engineering and women in football .
“ Initiatives like the Volunteer Forum help women recognise our value in football - we are not just there to wash the kit and support on the sidelines ,” Pam adds . “ We too can have roles playing , refereeing , coaching , administering clubs , leagues and supporting the FA itself . We can help change the culture and make a difference .”
Pam began coaching her youngest son ’ s team when he was four years old at Barming Youth Football Club and has stayed with that age group up to their current under-14 ’ s category .
Pam finds coaching children to be incredibly rewarding , saying : “ Seeing each individual go from strength to strength and what they ’ re achieving now compared to where they were - it ’ s just lovely .”
As an engineer , Pam is aware of the importance of working in partnership with her male allies to achieve success and share workloads . “ In the workplace and on the pitch , you have to use your male allies to get things done ,” she adds .
With Pam ’ s encouragement , four of the players ’ dads from her team are fully trained coaches , meaning there ’ s always back-up support and , between the parents , they can oversee the team flexibly and share the workload .
As clubs and leagues navigate through challenges such as needing to recruit and retain volunteers into key roles , the role of female volunteers has never been more important , helping girls see that they too can take on these roles . By forging strong partnerships and fostering an environment of support and inclusivity , Kent FA and BAE Systems are ready to make a lasting impact in the lives of female volunteers and their communities .
To find out how you can get involved with the Kent Volunteer Forum supported by BAE Systems , contact Rebecca Moore , football development officer ( women & girls ) at rebecca . moore @ kentfa . com .
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