In Mexico, studies show that marital status and motherhood are tightly related to the employment status of women who work in STEM-related fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
According to the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, almost 80% of STEM professionals without children are employed, compared to the 64% who are mothers. The presence of women in STEM needs to be promoted and supported because only one out of seven college graduates studied a career related to these disciplines.
We are sharing the stories of five Ford women in STEM-related fields in Mexico who are balancing their professional and personal lives through their daily actions, while inspiring their daughters and other women to achieve their dreams.
Nancy Carbajal
Carbajal, who studied mechanical engineering and energy systems, works at the Global Technology and Business Center (GTBC) in Mexico as a Product Development manager for Platform C2. Her interest in STEM skills spawned from math and physics classes in high school taught by a professor who motivated her to pursue engineering.
"Throughout my professional career, I have had different assignments. One that I remember fondly was the launch of the Ford Transit Connect van in Valencia, Spain,” she said. “I worked there for eight months, and Ford supported me to be able to travel with my daughter. It was a very enriching experience for both of us.”
Carbajal, who currently works in a job-sharing arrangement, said the balance has evolved over time.
“I believe all people, regardless of gender, have the right to do what makes them happy and whey they are passionate about,” she said, noting that she hopes to pass that philosophy to her daughter. "I believe in her and her abilities. I motivate her to seek her happiness because for me that is success in life".
Mary Gonzalez
Gonzalez has a degree in mechanical engineering and administration. She works as a business office manager in Product Development at the GTBC in Mexico. She said she has had an interest in STEM since she was a young girl.
"I liked to go to my dad's factory where they smelted aluminum,” she said. “Ever since then, I knew I wanted to be an engineer.”
Gonzalez said achieving balance is a challenge she shares with her husband, who supports her in coordinating their day-to-day work. She said Ford has given her great flexibility, enabling her to achieve both her personal and professional goals. And she emphasized how important it is to break paradigms and stereotypes.
“My message to my girls and to anyone who seeks to promote this social change is that there are no intellectual differences between genders,” she said. “We are all capable of being whoever we want to be."
Veronica Perez
Perez is a mechanical engineer. She has a master's degree in business administration with a specialization in quality and productivity.
Perez is a Variability Reduction Team (VRT) leader at the Ford site in Chihuahua, where she works to improve warranty metrics. She said her interest in STEM began when she was a child. She loved sequencing and logic games, and in school, she preferred number subjects over the theoretical ones, so she was always heading toward a career in engineering.
The mother of a girl and a boy, Perez said she educates both of her children on the importance of empowerment.
“Both my children know that they can go as far as they want, and to achieve this, they have to work hard and respect and collaborate with their peers, regardless of their gender,” she said.
Norma Alvidrez
Alvidrez has a bachelor's degree in industrial processes and operations engineering and a master’s degree in business administration in quality and productivity. She works as a safety engineer at Ford’s engine plant in Chihuahua.
Alvidrez said she has always had a desire to work in manufacturing. She said Ford supported her in many ways, from promoting a wellness culture to providing flexibility based on her needs as a collaborator. She believes the way to encourage curiosity in her daughters is through early preparation, by teaching them a sense of responsibility and healthy competitiveness.
"I like to inspire my daughters to achieve their dreams by guiding and supporting them in their decisions, reminding them every day to look for what makes them happy and to always give their best,” she said.
Patricia Ramirez
Ramirez has a bachelor's degree in computer science and is currently studying for a master's degree in human resources management with a specialization in digital transformation. She works at the GTBC in Mexico as a technology manager in Human Resources. Since she was a little girl, she said she imagined herself inside a control room with many buttons/keys that she could use to create things.
Ramirez said achieving balance between career and family was difficult at first, and she is constantly adapting to her work and personal needs.
"I have taught my daughter that to achieve what she wants, she must not only fulfill her responsibilities but also go above and beyond and take the initiative to identify what additional things she can do, aspiring to roles that make her feel happy and at the same time help her peers,” she said.
The presence of women in STEM careers, as in all professions, is vital to continue building a more equitable world with greater access to new opportunities for future generations.
