Empowering Women in Solar
International Women’s Day is about celebrating women’s achievements and observing how that propels them forward. Many wonder why we need to mark such a day, in 2023, but nothing makes the case more powerfully than looking at the state of women in tech. Studies reveal that women make up only about 28% of employees in the tech sector today; 15.9% of all engineering roles of which only 6% of these are higher management positions. Just 10% of C-level professionals in the tech field are women, and since 2019, the representation of women in senior vice president roles has decreased from 18% to 13%.
How do women in solar fare?
Although global numbers in solar, as opposed to other tech, are slightly higher than these, we still only register about 32% women in tech roles. A recent study in Israel looked more deeply into the source of this low female employment rate. They discovered that while 49.5% of high school advanced mathematics students are girls, and only 30.1% of Computer Science university students are women. Although 59% of all university students are female, only 18% of electrical engineering students are women.
Expanding the reach of women in solar
At SolarEdge, we aim to raise these percentages – and to this end, we support and run several programs that help girls and women at various stages of their education and career to see STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields as viable career paths. These programs are designed to provide girls and women with support and with role models so that they know they can succeed in these fields. Ultimately this will increase the participation of women in solar, so that they too can apply their unique talents to drive the energy transition.
To learn more about these initiatives and what it’s like to be a woman in tech, I spoke to the amazing women in SolarEdge who are in STEM roles and also volunteer in the organisations we sponsor.
Although far from a scientific study, certain elements really stood out: each of these women either grew up in an environment that encouraged their tech passion or found such a supportive environment later on. Most began their journeys in schools and communities in which other girls were interested in STEM as well, and they were surrounded by family members who either were in STEM fields or championed their desire to excel. Support, role models and a belief that you can aim high seem to be central to the success of these women. This drives home the importance of the work SolarEdge is doing in promoting women in solar; a supportive community and role models can make all the difference to girls and women who otherwise would not have had access to learning about STEM subjects.
Below, enjoy the edited versions of my conversations with some of these inspiring women.
Dalit Zohar
/ Director of SW Infrastructure
Dalit Zohar, Director of SW Infrastructure
Working in STEM fields was an obvious choice for me, as I studied math and physics in high school. I always studied in environments with a 50/50 gender divide – except for one embedded hardware class which had only 2 women (out of ten or fifteen students). And that is indicative of fewer women in general in hardware type of jobs – and in electrical engineering.
But even though now I am in an environment with fewer women, I don’t feel it hinders my work in any way, nor is it uncomfortable. I volunteer in two different programs; I like volunteering with younger people. SolarEdge sponsors a group of university women studying STEM subjects and we invite them to seminars here at SolarEdge. We basically want them to know that they can succeed, despite any struggles they may experience. I talk about work/life balance often and I share that my daughter, now an adult, supports the fact that I invested in my work. Some people told me that it was important for them to hear my experiences and it made them feel that anything is achievable. I’m also mentoring a first year Technion student; I feel that my role with her is to give her someone with whom to bounce ideas, and to help her to trust her own intuition. Many girls don’t have this growing up and this extra support can make all the difference. This is important if we want to grow the numbers of women in solar.
Eden Stahi
/ ATE Mechanical Engineer, Core Tech
Eden Stahi, ATE Mechanical Engineer, Core Tech
Everyone in my family is an engineer- except for my mom, who’s a biologist. I was always interested in STEM and actually wanted to work with airplanes. I got into solar because we had solar panels at home, and I became interested in how they worked. Today, I’m a mechanical engineer in the ATE Division, which means I design the testers that automatically test our products and ensure top quality. I began at SolarEdge as a 4th year student and stayed. I believe I have the skills to be a leader so I’m now continuing my studies in management. I think it’s important to volunteer with young girls, especially from underprivileged backgrounds, to show them that if they are interested in these topics, it’s a legitimate career path. We were far too few women when I studied engineering! I want girls to know that they have so much to offer, and I teach them to aim high. I think women really do bring something great to STEM fields and I want to expand the number of women in the field. Exposing girls to STEM can make all the difference for those who otherwise don’t have any role models or haven’t even heard of these fields. Meeting me shows them that it’s possible to succeed.
Dana Maklada
/ HW System Engineer
Dana Maklada, HW System Engineer
I almost didn’t come to my SolarEdge interview because I wanted to stay in academics, and the appointment conflicted with study for a test – but I went – and left the interview thinking: this is a company that is worth making an effort for. SolarEdge makes a difference in the world, and that’s what I want to do with my life. I’ve always volunteered – in university, I taught young kids math and scientific thinking and I led the Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering Club. Women accounted for a mere 8% of Electrical Engineering students a few years ago, and now women are about 30% of the electrical engineering class. The Women’s Club motivates new students to go further than they thought possible and encourages women to come study.
I was a computer nerd since I was a little girl. I’m from the Druze community and when I was in the 7th grade, I was selected as one of the top students in my community to take part in an accelerated math program. By the 10th grade, I was in the Math and Electronics Olympics. When my teacher suggested I could get in to the Technion with my grades, I was inspired. At work, I am one of two women in my group – and the other woman works at a different location – so it’s me and 17 guys. It has its challenges, but I decided a long time ago, I can define myself by being a minority or I can see it as a challenge. I’m actually a minority, within a minority – within a minority. I am a woman, but I am also a Druze, which is a minority within the minority communities in Israel. I deal with it daily – and it forces me to learn self-confidence. And you know, fake it till you make it… With time, you always find your people. I think it’s great when more women are around because they bring creativity to the table. I volunteer through SolarEdge by sharing my story with the university groups that visit. I think it’s really important because people don’t share what’s hard for them and then it’s harder for others to see the way through to succeed. I am happy to share my story if I can help other people.
Rotem Morad
/ Senior HW Engineer
Rotem Morad, Senior HW Engineer
I volunteer because I want to make a better world for my daughter. And because I believe in the work that we do. Through SolarEdge, I volunteer with “Shavot” an organisation that introduces young women from underprivileged backgrounds to STEM subjects. During high school, girls begin to feel insecure, and play it safe – so programs like this help them succeed.
I also was lucky to participate in a management training program that SolarEdge instituted for women in STEM in the company. I learned a great deal, but mostly it was amazing because it gave me the opportunity to do things outside of my comfort zone. Plus, we had a support group where we could get validation for things we felt and experienced. Growing up, I was always a STEM person, since high school and then into the army and studying Electrical Engineering - but I was always alone – almost the only woman among men. It definitely had its challenges, but it was also ok. I don’t feel that I was ever discriminated as a woman. When I started in the field, women were fewer than 10%, but that’s changing. I think maybe there are some girls who don’t believe in themselves as much as they deserve. And that’s what we are trying to change, at the age where it begins to happen. In SolarEdge, we’re waiting for more women to join us in STEM roles!
1 Women Tech Network
2 Geektime Insider
3 Exploding Topics, 74+ Shocking Women in Tech Statistics
