International Women in Engineering Day at Tracerco
23/06/2026
23/06/2026
In our Measurement Instruments (MI) business unit, a team of six women plays a vital role in delivering excellence to customers across the globe. Collectively, they bring over 50 years of experience to Tracerco, and their impact is felt in every project that passes through their hands.
Leanne Smith heads up the team of Bid & Support Services Manager, leading Project Coordinators Molly Scott, Jayne Turner, and Ashleigh Hodgman, recently re-recognised for their expanded roles that now include procurement responsibilities alongside their document control expertise. Alongside them is Kaye Clough who studied Mechanical Engineering, works closely with Leanne on the bid process. They all work side by side with Anna Bulgen, who featured in this Working Lives story last year.
From right: Leanne, Molly, Jayne, and Ashleigh (Measurement Instruments team).
What’s their role exactly? The Bid and Support Services team are the gatekeepers of every piece of project documentation that leaves Tracerco. Working across every aspect of project paperwork, their attention to detail is second to none, even a mis formatted date can result in a whole document package being rejected.
“They see themselves as the department’s gatekeepers,” explains Paul Hartley, Managing Director of Measurement Instruments at Tracerco. “And the work they do is absolutely essential. Technical documents need to be read, collated, and prepared to very tight deadlines. Without their dedication, our projects simply wouldn’t come together.”
All three Project Coordinators are certified document controllers, and all three are now working towards their CIPS Level 4 qualification in Procurement, demonstrating their commitment to continuous professional development.
But don’t let the word “documentation” fool you. This is far from routine admin work.
“People might not realise the scale of what we handle,” says Kaye. A recent Request for Quotation (RFQ) consisted of over 200 separate documents, and depending on the content, some of those can run to more than 1,000 pages.
The team thrives on getting the job done, whether that’s a document signed off, a new supplier found, or a bid sent out on time. They describe themselves as slightly unhinged, get-on-well, always having a laugh. But beneath that camaraderie lies genuine passion for their work and a drive to see every project succeed.
When approached about being women in a very male environment (with around 74% of Tracerco’s workforce being male), the team is candid.
“We have faced questions about our ‘engineering’ knowledge,” admits Kaye.
“But the group we work with are absolute gentlemen.” Adds Ashleigh, who goes on to say how “They make us all feel included and that there are no stupid questions.”
Kaye sums it up: “Success in a predominantly male-dominated industry often comes from being proactive, prepared, and one step ahead at all times. Honestly, that’s what we are as a team.”
At Tracerco, we believe that great engineering comes from diverse teams bringing different perspectives, skills, and experiences together. The women in our Measurement Instruments department are proof that contributions to engineering come in many forms, and that attention to detail, dedication, and teamwork are just as important as technical knowledge.
Whether they’re managing 200 documents, ensuring every piece of paperwork is perfect, or supporting the bid process that wins new business, our Project Coordinators and Proposal Engineer are true heroes of Tracerco.
This International Women in Engineering Day, we celebrate Leanne, Molly, Jayne, Ashleigh, Kaye, and Anna, and all the women who keep engineering businesses running across the world.
They’re not just keeping pace. They’re setting the standard.
To find out more about careers at Tracerco, visit our careers page.
Contact us today or email us at tracerco@tracerco.com