Astrid Kauffman obtained her engineering qualifications from the University of Sydney in 2002. Her choice to become an engineer seems a natural progression- from an inquisitive child helping her Dad in a workshop and wanting to know how everything worked, to a work experience stint in a power station in New South Wales that led to her being ‘hooked’ into the profession.

On Target quizzed Astrid on what it means to be a female engineer:

What can women bring to engineering?

Numbers. In a time of skills shortage, women as 50 per cent of the general population are grossly under-represented in the engineering field, and are a largely untapped resource.

Where have you worked since obtaining your qualifications?

On graduating I joined Defence Materiel Organisation’s Materiel Graduate Scheme (MGS) and worked on submarines and Land 125- Soldier Combat System.

After completing the MGS I joined Land Systems Division’s Land Engineering Agency, working on everything from combat clothing and packs to M113s, Bushmasters, Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV), trucks and Abrams tanks.

My current position is Systems Engineering Manager for Land 112 Phase 4 which is a midlife upgrade program for ASLAV.

Have you found the Australian Defence Organisation to be a supportive and positive work environment as a female engineer?

Pretty much- sometimes people are a bit surprised to see you. I've been asked on more than one occasion, ‘why would a young lady be interested in smelly dirty tanks?’ Most people who ask though are actually interested in the answer and that's a good thing.

What do you think would encourage more females to consider an engineering degree/career?

One thing would be exposure to factories and engineering equipment early on, and access to female engineering mentors so they can find out what working as an engineer is really like.

The other important thing is to keep women in the profession, offering developmental opportunities and genuine support for part time and other flexible work arrangements for anyone with family commitments would help.

With the 'women in engineering' campaign targeting young female school leavers, what were your preferred subjects in high school and did they lead well into engineering studies?

Actually I enjoyed both the sciences and the humanities. Liking physics, chemistry and math helps, but an interest in humanities such as history, literature, and social science are also useful, as they can enable you to understand the impact of your engineering decisions on the community.

What do you like most about your job?

It's probably an old fashioned notion, but this is a great way to serve your country and give back to the community. I like that I occasionally have the opportunity to get my hands dirty on base or in factories. And best of all I like talking to users to find out how they are going with the kit we buy for them.

Would you recommend a career in engineering to other women?

You bet! As an engineer you will have the opportunity to make decisions that impact society in a big way, and you'll get to contribute to some of humanity's most creative solutions. Plus, if you're as lucky as I have been, you'll get to crawl around a submarine or jump into a tank and get to see these solutions in action first hand.

No longer working on cars with Dad, Astrid has moved on to bigger more capable equipment. Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) Systems Engineering Manager, Astrid Kauffman stands in front of the Australian Defence Force’s new Abrams Tank, a project she has worked on during her time in DMO.