The Girl Who Chose Gears Over Gold: Priya's Fight for Her Future

“My father now tells everyone -- my daughter is an Automation Engineer at L&T.”

Coimbatore, Tamil NaduB.Tech Mechanical EngineeringtoL&T Automation | 9 LPA

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Chapter 1

THE STRUGGLE

Where it all began

In my family, a girl's engineering degree is not meant to become a career. It is meant to become a line in a matrimonial ad. "B.Tech Mechanical, fair complexion, homely." That is what my mother was preparing to write when I told her I wanted to try one more thing before getting married.

I was the only girl in my mechanical engineering batch at a college in Coimbatore. Four years of being stared at, being told "this is not a field for girls," and hearing professors say "you should have taken Arts." I graduated with a 7.8 CGPA, but no company came to recruit from our college. My parents saw this as confirmation -- "See? Engineering is not for girls. Let us find a boy."

Chapter 2

THE DISCOVERY

A light in the dark

I begged for six months. Just six months. I had read about EDWartens on a LinkedIn post -- a woman automation engineer had written about her experience. That post changed my life. I called EDWartens the same day.

Chapter 3

THE TRANSFORMATION

Becoming an engineer

When I joined the AEP batch, I was the only woman among 28 students. The first day, I wanted to run. But the trainers made sure I felt included. There was no "this is for boys" energy. There was only "this is for engineers." And I was an engineer.

The VR training was where I found my confidence. In a real factory, I might have been scared to touch a panel. But in VR, I could disassemble a motor, wire a PLC, and configure a SCADA system without anyone watching me fumble. I practiced until I was faster than most of the boys in my batch. When we had our first practical exam on Allen-Bradley PLC programming, I scored the highest in the class.

Chapter 4

THE TRIUMPH

Victory at last

The Wartens UK CPD certification meant everything to my parents. It wasn't just a local certificate -- it was international. My father, who had been reluctant about the whole thing, suddenly started telling his friends, "My daughter is doing international certification in Automation."

When L&T Automation offered me the position at Rs 9 LPA, my father cried. Not sad tears. Proud tears. The man who wanted to marry me off six months ago now tells everyone at the temple, at family functions, at the market -- "My daughter is an Automation Engineer at L&T." He says it louder than he has ever said anything.

Last Diwali, I bought my mother a gold chain. She said, "You were supposed to receive gold at your wedding. Instead, you are giving it to me from your salary." That moment was worth every struggle.

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