When we talk about the steel industry, most of the time a male figure in a commonly male environment comes to mind. However, for some years now, this is not the reality in Ternium anymore. Today, it is possible to walk through the plant and come across women performing the same role as men in an industrial operation.
The conquest of feminine space in Ternium is not only limited to the steel process. It goes beyond that. Evidence of this is the result of the latest Steel Challenge: the most important academic challenge in the steel industry promoted by the World Steel Association. In America's category (since the competition is divided into geographical regions), two women from Ternium Brazil ended up among the top five. Meanwhile, there were no women among the qualified participants last year.
The women responsible for that result were Operational Management Analyst in the Industrial Engineering area, Carolina Beltrame, and Laryssa de Jesus Ramos, from the Continuous Casting area. This is the first time both participated in the challenge, which makes it an even bigger achievement.
"This proves that women are capable of understanding and getting involved in the process. It also disregards the stigma that operations in our industry are only for men," states Carolina, second place in America and first place within the Ternium group.
Carolina has a professional career in Administration and has learned everything about steel in the practice.
She is very proper when she talks about the "ability to understand." She has a professional career in Administration and has learned everything about steel in the practice. She started in her area when she was 19 years old, making her the first woman to work in the refinement area in a factory in the state of Espíritu Santo, Brazil. Since then, she has participated in the early stages of Ternium Brazil by performing different activities in the Secondary Refinement area and in the Mill Project Management. Her 20 years of experience paid off in the final results of the Steel Challenge.
"I feel very proud. We are upon a good equality level. We are on track to eradicate the stigma of a "fully masculine factory” that only allows men. We are competent enough to occupy the positions we have achieved and break all those paradigms," Carolina emphasizes.
From being just an intern, she is now one of the best in America
Laryssa has a shorter trajectory in Ternium, unlike Carolina. She joined the company in June 2019. She joined as a trainee and now she is in fifth place in America in the World Steel Association Challenge. Professional from the Continuous Casting area found out about the Steel Challenge for the first time in Ternium Brazil. Decided to participate, got prepared with mentoring from former participant coworkers, and shined.
It is important to note that Laryssa considers it appropriate to highlight the feminine influences she has in the company. "Raissa Salgado, Cristiane Novaes and Carla Olveira (Steel Mill area), and Joyce Christine Ribeiro (former Steel Mill are, now Presidential Counsellor) are some examples. Steel Mill has successful women and I hope to be on the same path," she states.
Laryssa has the idea that her result is a step forward to the diversity issue but she also thinks that it can be improved furthermore.
Laryssa joined Ternium as a trainee and now she is among the best of America in the World Steel Association category for industries.
This is a sign that we are moving forward. Although it is still not enough, every time we find less inequalities. We're gradually moving towards a more diverse industrial environment. These kinds of results are a sign that it is happening."
As a conclusion, she added that she was also grateful to Ternium for the opportunity to learn more and mentions: "I seized my opportunities to grow and had professionals willing to help me. Without that, I wouldn't have been able to grow so much in such a short period of time."
Among other associates from Ternium Brazil that finished among the best of America in the industry’s category for the Steel Challenge were Diego Meyrellis (3rd) and Bruno Cerchiari (4th).