When Ahlam, a female year eight UK student, finishes at Birminghams Ark St Albans Academy, she thinks she could one day become an engineer.
Ahlam part of a group of girls teams which took part in Birmingham City Universitys Engineering Challenge, held this week as part of National Women in Engineering Day.
The girls were asked to try and solve a real life engineering problem how to help Nepalese tomato growers transport their crop down a steep mountain to the market below. They had to develop plans and drawings, and build their solution.
Taking part in this challenge has inspired me to think more about engineering. Its not about fixing cars; its about design and solving problems, Ahlam said.
Another Academy student, Masooma, has just secured an engineering apprenticeship at Mechatronic Solutions, a local automation solutions business. I have a goal and Im going to go for it. At the end of the day, I dont want to have any regrets, she said.
They are both something of a rarity in the UK budding female engineers. Only 6% of UK engineers are female, and the nation faces a disturbing skills shortage of 55,000 engineers a year at current rates.
Engineers across the UK united this week to support National Women in Engineering Day, part of a wider effort to close the professions gender divide.
Speaking at the Birmingham City University event, Sarah Ward, a pipeline engineer for engineering services firm Penspen, said: Theres a big lack of understanding of what engineering actually is and people need to realize that its not just about fixing cars.
Young girls need inspirational role models and were not seeing enough of those in the engineering sector.
For Erin Henderson, 19, a telecommunications apprentice at Siemens Rail Automation, her father was her inspiration. She followed his footsteps and joined the engineering industry after reading biology, psychology and politics at sixth form.
She thought about going to university but wanted a job right away. Engineering has a huge impact on every aspect of our lives and it allows us to use science to our advantage, and achieve things we once thought were impossible, Erin said.
There are plenty of women in her office but far fewer out on the railway track. But its fine. The guys are very respectful, Erin said. I enjoy practical work and want to continue that in the future.
At the other end of the spectrum, Debbie Bewley, a sustainability manager at Carillion, the infrastructure, construction and engineering group, has worked in the business for two decades.
I was inspired to join the industry by sustainability And Ive seen more women joining since I started, but there is still more that needs to be done to encourage women into the industry and inspire young women, she said.
She acknowledged that women see engineering as being male dominated, but argued the sector is nonetheless female-friendly. I feel Ive been treated as an equal and Ive progressed to a senior level quite quickly.
UK Rail Minister Claire Perry on Tuesday gave a speech to a New Civil Engineer conference about the importance of supporting women in engineering.
As a woman working in transport, I can tell you it is a brilliant experience. From the delivery of Crossrail to the Intercity Express Program, these are exciting times, she said.
But the Ministers speech quickly took a more solemn tone. She pointed to the worrying shortage of female engineers and said it was vital to get more involved.
It is so important that we inspire the next generation of female engineers, building on the hard work of women in engineering today, she said.
The governments support for the Women in Engineering campaign is part of its long-term strategy to boost the economy and productivity, including creating two million more jobs and three million more people starting apprenticeships over the next five years.
Its estimated that 22,000 qualified women have not returned to the engineering sector after a career or maternity break.
Lettie Todd, 25, an assistant manager at Network Rail, became a mum last year, but it has not held her back. I can do flexi-work and its fantastic what Network Rail can provide for mums.
She started as an electrician in 2009 and progressed to become an electrical engineer.
She hated electrics at school. It was always men coming to tell us about the railway and men coming to tell us about engineering systems, Lettie said. We need women going in and explaining what you can progress to.
People say the physically demanding work of railway engineers is hard, but Lettie disagrees. If you are willing to put the work in, its fine.
I love the fact that when I go to work, I create new things that will help people in their daily lives thats why I ended up in engineering, she said. I would encourage more women to join the railway.