For International Women’s Day, ADIPS Inspector Hayley Westcott (pictured) was interviewed for InterPark Magazine, and she shared her experience of being one of the few women in her area of work. Here’s an extract from the soon-to-be-published article.

I recently became an ADIPS inspector and now part of my work involves visiting amusement parks and fairgrounds to check the safety of rides.

More specifically, I specialise in non-destructive testing (NDT), which plays a vital role in ensuring that the structures of rollercoasters and other rides meet the required standards and continue to operate safely.

I was asked about being a woman in a predominantly male sector. Safety is seeing better representation but I would like to see more women considering safety and inspections as a career route, if this is something that interests them of course.

There is a small minority of women doing what I do. I have been working in NDT and inspection for more than 12 years and have come across only one other female NDT inspector in that time. Is it important to have a better gender balance in safety inspections? I think it is more a question of equal opportunities and making sure that women have as much chance of pursuing a career in this industry as men.

I work in a traditionally male sector and would love to have the confidence that women are being made aware of the opportunities available to them and are being encouraged to pursue a non-traditional career, as the rewards can be fantastic.

The challenges I faced entering this industry more than a decade ago were more to do with my age than my gender. As a young and new inspector, telling welders with over 30 years’ experience that they haven’t done a job well enough wasn’t easy!

It is different now because I have been doing this for a long time. It takes emotional intelligence to deliver difficult messages, such as something needs repairing at your cost. If you know what you’re doing, however, and have the skills and experience behind you, then you gain that respect. As an ADIPS inspector, you are there to carry out an important job and I usually find operators are on board with what you’re trying to achieve.

• This comment piece will be featured in full in the Mar/Apr issue of leading industry magazine, InterPark. In recognition of International Women’s Day, the magazine is shining a light on some of the talented women that make up the amusements and attractions industry. Look out for the digital issue of the magazine on the website here: https://interpark.co.uk/magazine/