Lutz-Jesco on International Women's Day
Women, go for it! The technology sector needs more woman engineers
Women have a hard time in the male-dominated technology sector and are taken less seriously. This is a media and societal misrepresentation that urgently needs to be addressed. In a time in which industry faces a shortage of young talent, it is vital that women are not discouraged from pursuing a career in this area. This is the view of Lisa Kagerbauer, an engineer at the pump and dosing specialist Lutz-Jesco in Wertheim, speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
“I have to work twice as hard to be accepted”; “I can't afford to make any mistakes, otherwise everyone will think that women aren't cut out for this job”; “I need to adapt and make sure I don't stand out too much”. The list of misconceptions that hinder women who would like to work in the male-dominated technology sector industry is long. However, the reality is usually much more progressive, stresses Lisa Kagerbauer, who has worked since 2020 as an engineer at Lutz-Jesco, a specialist manufacturer of industrial pump technology and dosing systems based in Wertheim in Baden-Württemberg. “From an early age, women are presented with a rather distorted picture of life by the media and society that doesn’t match reality in most cases”, says Kagerbauer.
“The idea that women in the technology sector constantly have to assert themselves does not match my experience.”
According to Ms Kagerbauer, her positive experience began during her studies, when she shared a flat with two male fellow students. “We supported each other, and gender never even came into it”, recalls the 32-year-old. She also did not experience any prejudice or discrimination at university. “I studied under two woman professors who were highly competent and recognised as valued experts in their fields.” What about her transition to employment? Here too, gender was not an issue. “As a woman fresh out of university, I was appreciated and supported from the very beginning.” Many older colleagues were impressed by her passion for technology and didn't hesitate to share their knowledge and experience with her. “The idea that women in the technology sector constantly have to assert themselves does not match my reality. What counts is performance, not gender.”
“It is vital to Germany's future that more women contribute their potential to the technology sector.”
According to Ms Kagerbauer, in times in which young talent is at a premium, it is important that women also enter the technology sector. However, women remain under-represented in this area. Figures from the Federal Statistical Office show that the proportion of women employed in technical research and development in 2023 amounted to just 18 per cent. “In my opinion, it is vital for Germany’s future that more well-qualified young women bring their potential to the technology sector”, says Ms Kagerbauer. She has the following tip for women interested in the field: “be confident and follow your own path. The men are usually on your side. Be confident in salary negotiations. Make realistic demands and never sell yourself short.”
Lisa Kagerbauer helped her older brother with maths, even when she was still at nursery school
Lisa Kagerbauer’s enthusiasm for technology and the natural sciences developed at an early age, and she started helping her brother with his maths homework even when she was at nursery school. “I have always been fascinated by the fact that maths works as a kind of universal language with unerring logic,” recalls Kagerbauer. After leaving school, she studied process engineering and chemical engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). She specialised in food process engineering and completed her master’s degree with a focus on rheology, researching the flow characteristics of milk foam. “I made and smelled milk foam every day for half a year. Since then, I take my coffee black”, Kagerbauer laughs. She started work as an engineer at Lutz-Jesco in 2020. In the system and process technology department, she and her team develop water treatment systems for industry and sewage treatment plants. "I love working in an informal atmosphere with great colleagues. It suits me much better than the anonymity of a large corporation.” She only missed the exciting night-life of the big city for a while. Now, she appreciates the peace and quiet of the countryside. “I have settled in and don't want to leave.”
About Lutz Holding GmbH
Lutz Holding GmbH has stood for professional fluid management since 1954. The group of companies unites internationally active companies in pump technology as well as water treatment and disinfection and is represented by 16 subsidiaries and agencies in over 80 countries worldwide. The group includes Lutz Pumpen GmbH in Wertheim, Lutz-Jesco GmbH in Wedemark and Lutz-Jesco Suisse SA in Couvet, Switzerland. The portfolio includes pumps, systems and accessories for dosing, pumping, emptying and mixing processes for a wide range of fluids. Lutz Group products are used in numerous sectors, including the chemical industry, food industry, automotive production, water and waste water treatment and the paint and coatings industry.
