My Unipart Journey - Julie Carrier

In recognition of International Women’s Day (8 March), Julie Carrier, CCO UK & Europe shares her Unipart journey…

As we celebrate International Women's Day 2025, Julie takes a moment to reflect on her own journey and shares some thoughts on the importance of accelerating action for gender equality.

"Growing up, I had dreams of owning a chain of hotels, mainly to enjoy the perks of always getting the best table in the restaurant and using the penthouse suite. Little did I know that my love of counting money would lead me to a career in civil engineering and ultimately to leading a sales team in the rail industry"

"In school, I chose maths, physics, and French for my A-levels. I was always good with numbers and chose physics because a teacher told me it was for boys. French was a bit of a curveball, but I excelled in it and even received an offer to study at L'Ecole Des Ponts et Chausees, a French civil engineering university"

"Ultimately, I pursued civil and structural engineering at university because I loved the idea of leaving a mark on society and saw it as a practical way to apply theory. Becoming a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers was a proud and happy moment for me"

This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is ‘Accelerate Action’, a call to speed up progress towards parity.

"After graduating, I was fortunate to secure a place on the British Rail graduate training scheme, which was the best training available at the time. I quickly developed a passion for the complexities of the railway and have been working in the industry ever since"

"Throughout my career, I have encountered many inspiring women who have stood up for themselves in male-dominated environments. I admire their strength and resilience and believe that we should all strive to be like them"

Julie was asked what woman inspires her the most:

"One woman who I particularly admire is Queen Elizabeth II. She took on a role that many expected her to fail at and became our longest-reigning monarch. She was always impeccably turned out, respected globally, and the embodiment of hard work and dedication"

Julie has a message for us all on this International Women's Day:

"let's all commit to accelerating action for gender equality. One of my favourite quotes is "seek forgiveness, not permission." Let's use this mantra to push forward with determination and achieve great things"