Tees Business Tees Business Issue 20 | Page 61

2019 BREAKING THE MOULD Sponsored by Joseph Homes WINNER: MARCIA PRYCE (SEQENS-CHEMOXY) Trailblazer Marcia Pryce is on a mission to show that engineering is not just a great career path for young women, it’s also full of people who really care about their work and how it can improve the world around them. Marcia, who is currently studying for her Master’s degree at Lancaster University, was shocked when her name was called out as this year’s winner. “I was up against managing directors and I’m just a student, I’ve still not even finished my degree yet!” she said. “I’ve met some amazing women here who have done so much for their companies and for the public.” Marcia spent a year on placement as a chemical engineer with SEQENS and plans to return to Teesside once she has completed her studies. She hopes to continue being an ambassador for working in engineering, both for young men and women. “At university I’ve been working with Street Scientist, who go around schools trying to get women and just generally people into STEM because it’s an undervalued area. “People just think engineering is dirty but there are people in it who genuinely care about you and the industry. That’s the big thing about engineering that many people don’t know.” FINALIST: Jessica Williams (Just Williams) Having identified a need for professionally outsourced sales solutions while studying for her MBA in sales psychology, Jessica set about creating her own bespoke model. Just Williams provides an end-to-end sales solution designed to help SMEs grow. Jessica founded the business in 2015 and remains managing director and 100% shareholder. Together with her mainly female team, she has broken gender stereotypes by succeeding in predominantly- male environments. The Just Williams Sales Academy launched in August with ambitious plans to reach 10,000 learners in the next five years through face-to-face training and a digital platform, which is currently in development. SPONSOR’S MESSAGE Lauren Pringle of Developments by Joseph Homes said: “Choosing the winner of the Breaking the Mould category was mutually decided by the team from Developments by Joseph Homes. “There were some fantastic entries and it was so great to see the women of Teesside doing so well. “However, Developments by Joseph Homes chose Marcia Pryce as the winner of the Breaking the Mould category as she has displayed an absolute dedication and met that with success in the nature of work she is in. “We thought she truly did break the mould - and is an inspiration for younger women to look up to and show them you can achieve success in a male-dominated background. “She really did deserve to win the award and we wish her all the luck in the future.”