PORTFOLIO ANALYST, NORTHUMBRIAN WATER GROUP
I’m Ruth Scott-Bolt, and I’m honoured to be a part of the WISE Young Professionals Board, where I have the privilege of championing Women in STEM education and opportunities. My passion for these fields is not just a career choice but a commitment to promoting equity, diversity, and innovation.
How I came to STEM
My journey into STEM started at an early age, when I couldn’t quite quench my thirst for all things environments; whether that be rock formations and volcanoes, the water cycle and river systems or tourism and the concept of place. I’ve always had a love of Geography.
Alongside this, from my early teens, I was always the “Go to Girl” for anything IT related for my immediate family, a role which has stuck with me and something which sparked a real interest in applications and computers. I pursed my passion for Social and Natural Science through to my higher education, studying at Northumbria University where I achieved a 2:1 in BSc Geography (Physical).
Throughout studying, a repeated statement I often heard was; “Oh, so you want to be a teacher”. This was frustrating to hear, time and time again, when it was never said to my male counterparts. I have immense respect for the dedication and hard work that teachers put into their profession, and their valuable contribution to our society. However, I always knew that teaching was not my path.
After my academic journey ended, I always knew I wanted a career within the Natural Science space but wasn’t quite sure exactly what or where! I decided to take an online Career Planner Quiz which provided Job matches and opportunities which were available to apply to.
The first opportunity on the list was as a Water Efficiency Analyst for Northumbrian Water, my first role after university.
Why I love what I do?
Joining NWG has allowed me to experience a variety of STEM roles within a relatively short space of time. I am in my seventh year within NWG; working within Information Services for the last 12 months. I love what I do, I get a real sense of purpose engaging with third party vendors and managing supplier relationships. Although the water industry is a male dominated environment (From a 2019 report, Women make up 29% of the overall water sector workforce), I am surrounded by ambitious female role models every day. I get the opportunity to take part in several networks such as our internal Women in Stem (WiSTEM). In 2020 I had the opportunity to take part in a secondment within HR which allowed me to get more involved with Equity, Diversity, Inclusion championing.
Being a part of the STEM community means I am continuously surrounded by brilliant minds, fostering a culture of curiosity and collaboration that fuels my passion. Each day, I contribute to shaping the future, making a meaningful impact, and that’s why I absolutely love what I do.
What I’m proud of, & what I’m hoping to achieve through the WYPB?
I’ve always like to embark on the bold adventure of saying “yes” to every opportunity that arises if possible.
I take pride in my role as a female professional in the STEM sector within the water industry. My role as part of the WYPB affords me the opportunity to collaborate within a broader team, actively supporting our efforts to address diversity challenges and contribute to long-term positive impact.
I have a true passion for supporting people and being an advocate for development and believe that I can bring this to the WYPB table. I want to continue to support organisations and individuals with mentoring, while working hard on creating an inclusive culture where women can thrive and have a great career.
Alongside this I want to continue advocating for health & wellbeing among workplaces and organisations to ensure that individuals can thrive at home as well as work.
Being granted the opportunity to be part of the WISE Young Professionals’ Board will allow me to contribute and make differences, further than I have before, while developing professionally with likeminded individuals.