As a mechanical engineer, she was often the first or the only one—first as the only woman in the lecture hall, then as the first testing engineer and later as a leader.

Today, Katharina Keck is the Head of Quality Assurance for Hardware and Software at DEKRA, the world’s largest unlisted expert organization.

In the beginning, the DEKRA test center was nothing more than a small room at the company’s headquarters. Today, Katharina and her team have 300 square meters at their disposal, where every electronic device used within the company is tested.

Katharina built and expanded the department from the ground up—and so efficiently that her boss soon needed someone to take over managing the test center. “Why don’t you take the lead?” he said to her. At first, she was skeptical. Unlike her management colleagues, she had never worked at a desk job and lacked business administration knowledge. But Katharina’s boss believed in her; after all, she had already been leading the team and managing the processes. She took the leap, competed against male candidates for the position, and quickly proved: she has leadership skills!

Today, Katharina successfully manages a team of 11 and benefits from her experience as a testing engineer. She understands her colleagues’ needs and the pace of the daily workload.

However, she fondly recalls her time before stepping into leadership. The gender-specific challenges she faced back then now only earn a shrug from her. The industry has changed significantly: lab coats are now available in women’s sizes, and adjustable lifts make working in the inspection pit less exhausting. When Katharina started, none of this existed. Her oversized lab coat made her look like a child, and she had to weigh down truck seats with bricks to activate the hydraulics for testing.

Today, she advises young female engineers:

“You might be physically outmatched, or you might lack knowledge or training. But what you don’t lack are determination and competence. Don’t let anything derail you from your goals.”

What else? In “Frauen des Jahres”, Katharina shares additional tips and explains why being a woman in a male-dominated field doesn’t mean you have to conform to all traditions and rituals. Curious? Check the link in the comments to learn more.

 

A post by herCAREER,
published on LinkedIn on 03.12.2024

 

Frauen des Jahres 2024/2025 (available only in German language)
Link to the book