Women in Tech - about women in electronics manufacturing
Female managers in technical professions are not only a minority at EMS service providers, but in almost all STEM professions.
Kristin Teichmann has been Head of Production at A+B Electronic since 1 January 2022. She has been responsible for production management and therefore for many of our production teams for several years now. We spoke to her about how she came to study engineering, what she particularly likes about her job and how she deals with stereotypical role models.
Ms Teichmann, women in technical professions are still a large minority. So let's start from the beginning: How did you come to choose a career in electronics manufacturing?
Kristin Teichmann: I always had a talent for math and science subjects at school. From secondary school onward, we were able to choose a specialization, which is when I decided on STEM subjects. However, with physics and math as advanced courses, I quickly realized that I would like to have a practical focus. Not just theoretical work. That's why I decided to do a dual study program in electrical engineering after school. During my studies, I really enjoyed working with assemblies. In other words, what we do here at A+B Electronic. We had subjects for drawing up circuit diagrams, created our own layouts and assembled circuit boards ourselves. We had a small production facility in my training company, so I was able to solder and tackle other small projects there.
Regarding the topic of women in tech, what was the balance in your degree program?
Kristin Teichmann: We were two women out of a total of 33 people on the program. That was very few. But I think electrical engineering is a particularly technical STEM subject, so perhaps that puts people off even more. And of course, you first have to find a place in the company as a female dual student. There are other ways. In our company, it was more normal for there to be one woman and one man per training year. That can be very different.
That is a very low rate. Do you realize that from time to time? That you're the only woman in the room or does that bother you less?
Kristin Teichmann: When I think about it, it's the other way round. For me, that's the normal state of affairs, I'm used to it. If another woman is there, I tend to think ‘Oh dear, there's someone else there’. At A+B Electronic in production, we have another female department manager, otherwise many management positions are held by men. But that's also largely due to the fact that there aren't many women with the right technical background.
When you think about your current tasks, what do you enjoy most about your work?
Kristin Teichmann: Definitely the variety of technology I deal with. I used to want to work in the automotive industry. But if things go badly there, you spend 40 years developing steering wheels. Not one person makes the whole car. And in electronics manufacturing, you really have all sectors - aerospace, automotive engineering, agricultural engineering and so on. You can see the current state of technology and developments from different sectors. I'm not specialized in one area here but can really go into the broad masses.
In terms of challenges in your professional life, what sticks in your mind?
Kristin Teichmann: I think one challenge - which affects all engineers - is the highly competitive nature of the job. This is greater than in other technical professions because the results of our work are more measurable. I develop a circuit and it produces results much faster than someone else's. That kind of thing. But I think we need that too. This competitive spirit is how we create technological progress worldwide. As a woman in particular, it's easy to be underestimated in competition at first. When the other person realizes that you have what it takes, the incentive is even greater for both sides. Put simply: you don't want to be worse than the only woman. These attitudes can be very challenging and exhausting.
What are STEM professions and which areas do they include?
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It therefore encompasses various disciplines that cover a wide range of topics. The demand for STEM specialists is growing worldwide, particularly due to digitization. In 2020, the proportion of female trainees was only around 15%.
And what is the situation like among women?
Kristin Teichmann: In my experience, it's unfortunately not much better. There's a lot of competition there too. Perhaps with the ulterior motive that there aren't many women in management positions and perhaps only one of them has the chance. I think that's a real shame, because women should stick together more.
With all the ideas of competition, do you think there are areas in which women have more of an advantage?
Kristin Teichmann: Today, it's no longer enough to develop the best circuit, you also have to be able to sell it to colleagues and customers. Soft skills are becoming increasingly important. And I do believe that women have a few advantages when it comes to communication and empathy. Not per se, of course, but in many situations.
Have you experienced these stereotypical clichés in your professional life?
Kristin Teichmann: I haven't felt at a great disadvantage, but of course I have to struggle with the typical role models. Before I switched to production management, I took over the sales management together with a colleague - he did the administrative part and I did the technical part. Regardless of whether they were new contacts or employees, everyone initially thought that I was in charge of the administrative part and my colleague was in charge of the technical part. Of course I noticed that. Basically, you shouldn't get too annoyed about it. Very few people do it out of malice, it just comes from the stereotypes. At that moment, you should stand up for yourself, be self-confident and clear up the situation with a smile. With most people, you immediately realise how a switch flips in their head and they think ‘Oh, I've let myself be led by the wrong stereotype’. The important thing for me is not to have pointless discussions. As a woman, you often have the problem of being dismissed as prissy when the discussion gets heated. You should remain polite and nice, then many misunderstandings will clear up by themselves. I've learnt to focus on myself and not constantly compare myself with others. That helps me enormously.
When it came to leadership positions and production management at A+B Electronic, did you think about this topic?
Kristin Teichmann: First of all, I thought about the responsibility as a manager. But I wanted to do it. I like working with people, whether in a team or as a team leader. Of course, I wondered whether I could assert myself as a woman. The good thing for me was that I know all the employees here and they know me too. That's why I didn't have any worries when I took the step. I knew that my colleagues were behind me and that I wouldn't have to expect any conflicts just because of my gender.
When you think back and also look to the future: Do you think there will be major changes in the proportion of women in technical professions?
Kristin Teichmann: Difficult. I can't look at too long a time frame yet. But in our society, everyone is free to choose a technical profession. The problem is perhaps not so much the corporate cultures, but the role models. Girls like pink, boys like blue - many children still learn that. Parents, perhaps especially mothers for girls, have a big influence here. For example, I was always used to my mum going to work. That meant I could go in any direction I wanted at school. And today there is the Future Day, where girls can get a taste of technical professions. And later there are support programs for women with a STEM focus. A lot of things have to grow over time. We can't go out now and force 50% of women into electrical engineering, the interest has to develop itself. The old stereotype does not correspond to my ideas, and I think that will develop for many. That's why I'm pleased that we're talking about this topic.
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