Technology meets planning: Lea Elmerhaus combines engineering skills and project management in plant construction.

Lea Elmerhaus, project engineer at thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems, has found her passion in plant engineering – an industry in which women are still underrepresented. To encourage young women to follow their own path in technical professions, Lea provides insights into her day-to-day work and shares her personal experiences.

Lea became enthusiastic about the industrial world of work at an early age and developed a desire to get involved in project management. Growing up in the Ruhr area, the decision to join thyssenkrupp was an obvious one. The position as a project engineer at thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems offered the perfect combination: technical challenges in plant engineering paired with strategic tasks in project management at one of Germany's leading providers of systematic industrial services. Since January 2024, she has been part of the Corporate Development department in Oberhausen. Her day-to-day work is dominated by slag management projects.

From planning to realization.

In her day-to-day work, Lea supports exciting construction projects in plant engineering. Her tasks are as varied as they are challenging: “We have lots of project meetings with internal departments, but also with external suppliers. This ensures that everything goes according to plan,” says Lea. “Our work ranges from planning project phases and developing technical concepts to coordinating the execution phase and ensuring proper documentation.”

Lea Elmerhaus, project engineer at thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems, is responsible for ensuring that plant construction projects can be implemented according to plan.

Once the initial planning phase is complete and all the concepts are in place, the practical part of her work begins. "It gets really exciting when the implementation phase starts and I can see the progress of the project on the construction sites with my own eyes," she says. But even at this stage, not everything is predictable: "Of course, there are always technical problems or discrepancies, and you have to work with the team to find appropriate solutions."

For Lea, it is these unexpected challenges that make her job so appealing: "I particularly enjoy the diverse, cross-departmental collaboration. By working with different departments, you gain valuable insights and continuously expand your knowledge. For Lea, these experiences and the intensive exchange within the team will pay off in future projects. "Sometimes we have to make quick decisions under time pressure to meet the challenges of the project. But this helps us expand our knowledge and avoid mistakes early on in future projects."

Complexity under control: project management in technical professions.

"In an increasingly networked and dynamic economy, companies are constantly facing new challenges. At the same time, we are constantly developing innovative, state-of-the-art solutions," says the project engineer. "This constant process of learning and development means that our own work is always varied and interesting."

Shortly after joining ThyssenKrupp MillServices & Systems, Lea experienced just how challenging and instructive this process can be. "A few weeks after I started, my boss gave me a project with high time and cost pressure," she recalls. "A lot of processes had to be restructured." Lea found it particularly instructive to deal intensively with technical challenges and regulatory requirements, and to drive the success of the project despite challenging circumstances. "As some of the processes were unfamiliar to me at the beginning, I am very grateful to my colleague who answered my questions and supported me during this time," Lea emphasizes. "Overall, the project was a success, and the implementation was a valuable experience in many ways."

Success through expertise and teamwork.

For Lea, diversity plays a defining part in teams: "Diverse teams bring different perspectives and ideas to the table, which means that complex problems can be solved more effectively." For Lea, the different experiences and mindsets of team members are a great advantage. "This strengthens the team's dynamic and promotes team spirit – two essential factors for project success."

There are still very few young women opting for a career in engineering. “I think this is often due to social stereotypes that associate technical professions more with men,” suspects Lea. "This could mean that women are less confident or give up their interests and ambitions in this field early on. Which I think is a pity!" Lea sees various starting points to change this: "Science subjects for girls should be promoted more at school in order to spark an interest in technology at an early age. Visible female role models in engineering professions could also have an inspiring effect." From Lea's point of view, companies could also make a contribution: "Flexible working hours and working from home options are important in order to better reconcile work and family life.”

Lea's advice to young women aspiring to a career in the industry is clear: "Trust in your abilities and be proud of what you have achieved. Even as a woman, you can have a successful career in male-dominated professions." For her personally, clear goals, systematic work and continuous training are particularly important. "A strong professional network and regular exchanges with other women and experts in the industry help me."

Lea also recommends taking part in regular training courses to keep up to date with the latest developments. But her most important advice goes to the women themselves: "If you believe in yourself, there is nothing that can stand in the way of your own career!"

You can find more exciting insights into our day-to-day work and innovative technologies in our stories.