Zuleyha Cakir is an Engineer at Weir Minerals Dilovasi Super Centre in Istanbul. Zuleyha is 26 years old, making her one of Weir’s Generation Z employees. She graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Kocaeli University and she recognised her chosen career was in an industry that is today male-dominated. Despite this, Zuleyha passionately believes that at Weir she belongs and is looking forward to being part of the change that sees gender diversity improve across the industry as a whole in the years to come.

Zuleyha, tell us about your job at Weir. What do you do?

I joined Weir Minerals in Turkey in November 2021 as a production and process engineer working on the production line and I was in charge of the pump assembly line. Just recently I moved roles to become a production planning specialist in the planning department. I loved the dynamism and movement of the production department and now in my new role I’m learning skills of coordination, analytics and planning. I’m also always thinking ahead to how I can improve myself because I love to learn new things.

Whilst there has been progress in the industry as a whole, mining does remain a male-dominated industry. As a Generation Z female, how do you feel you fit in?

When I started in the production department I was the only female in a team of 20 engineers and operators. After four or five months another female engineer joined and then a female intern, so the number of females gradually increased! That was great but what is so important is that from the very start I was taken seriously as an equal part of the team. I told my colleagues how eager I was to learn everything and we all collaborated really well. Our gender did not limit our ability and we were treated as equal members of a team. We all felt we belonged to the same team, and that was so good.

It's the same now I'm in the planning department, although the gender balance is completely the opposite. All of my team members are female, including my manager. Nevertheless that's not a factor. Again, we just feel that we are all members of a team, and everyone does their best working together.

What do you like best about your job?

What I love most is that every day I am learning different things and there is always a new challenge. Every time I face a fresh challenge and handle it successfully, I tick it off in my head as something else achieved and that makes me feel great. I want to keep learning and experiencing different situations, close the gaps in my skills and expand my talents. The opportunity for internal mobility at Weir and of being able to change departments is also great for career development.

Do you feel that you can be yourself and belong at Weir?

Yes! Our managers want to empower us and we are valued. I'm now doing a Masters in Polymer Science and Technology at Marmara University and Weir gives me the time to spend one day a week on my studies. This is really helpful and a vote of confidence in me.

In the Super Centre in Turkey there is a very open culture, such as the regular ‘Open Doors’ events where I can walk in and talk to my Managing Director about my feelings and ideas – and I’m listened to. It's the same with my managers. There is not too much hierarchy so I can speak directly to my line manager and to our Operational Director. In the planning department we have a scheme where everyone has to organise a social event and it really brings people together.

I have also joined two of the women's networks within Weir, the AME (Africa & Middle East) Women’s Network Local Chapter where we are trying to empower the younger generation of women, and also the Global Weir Women’s Network. So, I can be myself whilst belonging to something much bigger and I get access to, and learn from, other females, including senior leaders, across the organisation. I am inspired to do something similar in Turkey.

How do you see your future career at the company?

At Weir we are encouraged to grow and progress and I'm confident I’ll be able to do so. It has been very inspirational for me personally to have a female Managing Director, Carola Schulz and Manager Elif Ayva, because it has showed me that there are no limits to what I can achieve. I have great role models to follow and Weir really wants me to feel I belong here. For example, in February I was invited to join a ‘Tell the Board’ session and it was brilliant to see several women there. I feel I have a great opportunity to improve and progress.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

I enjoy spending time with my friends. We go to the theatre twice a month and have fun discussing the play afterwards. I also want to be fit and healthy, so I've started fitness training.

Any dreams for the future you’d like to share with us?

I'd love to travel to China because I'm really curious about it.