Collen Read
Joined in 1989
A full year before demolition work officially began on the Berlin Wall, Collen started chipping away at the notion that a woman’s place in the workforce is, and ought to be, set in stone.
Though Collen had always wanted to work in the engineering industry at school, you see, her mother refused to grant her permission to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens) in order to train as an engineer.
On June 26th, 1989, however, Collen embarked on her career at Causeway Steel and promptly dispelled any misguided myths about female suitability on the factory floor. Self-taught by watching others in the workplace, Collen has migrated down the years from the production line to tool setting and has evolved into a capable multi-tasker.
Collen considers the Causeway Steel team to be one big family, where no single member is more important than the group. To that point, section supervisor Collen prides herself on usually being the first employee in and the last to leave at night.
Away from forklifts and guillotines, Collen loves holidaying in Crete and Greece; derives great pleasure from swimming; and supports Chelsea F.C. Still, nobody’s perfect, eh?
