The hands-on training aimed to equip local girls with practical knowledge, empowering girls and women, showing in a fun way the “electrical world”.

The workshop “Basic Electrical Installations for Women PES – Girls to Girls” took place as a PES activity during the VII Electrical Engineering Week in Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ). The event program allowed students to have contact with a variety of current topics all involving technology and humanitarian actions. In addition, allowed greater and more fluid contact between students, teachers and companies, generating a knowledge cycle that will affect their academic and professional life.

Basic Electrical Installations for Women practical training moment.
Basic Electrical Installations for Women practical training moment.

One of the lines we used as a metric for this event was the insertion of different women as speakers and also members playing leading roles in every aspect. One of the workshops offered to students were provided by a woman from our Power and Energy Society Chapter, Letícia Dias. This action aimed to equip local girls with practical knowledge that can be replicated and passed on, empowering women, and also helping in the quality education which align with goals 4 and 5 (from UN Sustainable Development Goals).

Two of the participants during the workshop.
Two of the participants during the workshop.

Letícia was very fulfilled to be part of this: “for a long time doing simple home repairs was a task directed at men, being plumbers, bricklayers or electricians. Nowadays, women have achieved a leading role in their homes, in companies and also in the technical field. This handson training aims to empower and assist in empowering girls and women, showing in a fun way that the “electrical world” is not so scary when you have security and will! That was the fourth time I did this workshop and the girls could learn simple things like: changing shower resistance, installing a socket switch, preparing an extension and stuff too. It was an amazing experience!”

Letícia Dias: “You can teach girl!”
Letícia Dias: “You can teach girl!”

We now intend to use the same resources from this workshop on the marginal community of the university, focusing on women living in needy communities, and consolidating this as a recurring activity of our student branch, being able to reach even more women.

Felipe Piancó
UERJ IEEE SB Power and Energy Society Vice-Chair.

Letícia Dias
UERJ IEEE SB Power and Energy Society Member.