2022
Sponsored by Steel Benders UK
BREAKING THE MOULD
WINNER : HELEN PARSONS
At one stage , Helen Parsons was the first female in Europe and the youngest person in the world to gain access to the OASIS international database of aerospace auditors .
And at the 2022 Tees Businesswomen Awards , Helen – an aerospace auditor and management consultant at Tees Valley Aerospace – pipped three other excellent finalists to the Breaking the Mould title .
Helen admitted she was shocked when her name was read out . She said : “ I ’ m really thrilled . I was kind of expecting to hear someone else ’ s name .
“ In terms of the theme of the award , and the fact I do work in a very heavily male-dominated environment – and from a young age too – I do feel like I ’ ve been breaking the mould all the way along , working with men , often much older than me .
“ It ’ s been quite challenging but if you ’ re confident in the services you provide , you ’ re professional and you demonstrate what you ’ re capable of , I feel I ’ ve always been taken seriously and I ’ ve managed to prove myself .”
And she says events like the Tees Businesswomen Awards give out a “ critically important ” signal for girls and women entering the business world .
She said : “ I ’ ve got daughters myself and it ’ s so important for them to know there are so many careers and options out there , and that nothing should hold them back .”
Breaking the Mould – Tees Valley Aerospace director Helen Parsons ( left ) receives her award from Steel Benders managing director Tania Cooper MBE .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
Alison McGee
Durata ’ s company secretary / quality director and ambassador for getting women into the male-dominated critical power industry , Alison works tirelessly with schools , colleges and training organisations to plant the seed of STEM careers at primary age . In doing so , Alison is also educating teachers to the opportunities and sees this as a main driver to make engineering appealing . She has also made it her mission to achieve several accreditations for the Middlesbrough-based firm .
FINALIST Mia MacDonald
Kathryn Gardner
A regional director at project and management consultancy Faithful + Gould , chartered quantity surveyor Kathryn is the firm ’ s most senior female construction professional in the North-East , performing various roles on multiple construction projects , including the new 450m quay at South Bank . In a 30-year construction career , she has delivered over 40 construction projects ranging from £ 1m to £ 300m , including as programme leader for Highways England ’ s recent A19 upgrade between Norton and Wynyard – bringing it in under budget and five months ahead of programme .
Women account for only 11 per cent of the overall maritime workforce , with fewer than one per cent within operational roles – but bubbly , enthusiastic and committed Mia continues to make positive waves in her role as hydrographic surveyor at PD Ports . Within her role , Mia is responsible for completing surveys on specific areas of the river under PD Ports ’ legal obligation as the Statutory Harbour Authority . Now eight years in to her career , she is already working towards fully chartered status at the age of just 25 .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Tania Cooper MBE , managing director of Steel Benders UK , said : “ Steel Benders UK have been honoured to sponsor the Breaking of the Mould award once again . It was a great evening to celebrate and meet people from Teesside who are all excelling in their fields and inspiring the next generation of women to enter the business world . A huge congratulations to Helen for the well-deserved award . Steel Benders UK would also like to say what a difficult task shortlisting was as the standard was exceptionally high . Well done to everyone nominated !”.