How we Got a Fair Pay Increase 2 Case Studies: Government and Private Industry
Abstract
This session will present 2 case studies where engineers obtained a substantial pay raise from their employers, upon discovering a systemic gap in their pay. The first case study involves a private industry employer, while the second case study involves a government employer. The presenters, Claudia and Andrea respectively, will first share how they discovered they were underpaid. Second, they will explain how they wrote a memo for their boss listing both the problem and the solution to resolve their pay gap. And finally, they will close by sharing their tips for a successful outcome when asking for a pay increase at any level of your career.
Bios
Claudia Gomez-Villeneuve is a professional engineer, university instructor, and diversity champion. Before switching to academia, she worked managing petroleum pipeline projects for over 15 years. Today, Claudia works in many universities teaching engineering, construction, and project management. In April 2019 she shared the APEGA Summit Award, as a Champion for Women in Engineering and Geoscience, with the CCWESTT 2018 Conference Steering Committee. Claudia is also the founder and two-time Chair of WES, Women in Engineering Summit, offering practical solutions to retain women in their engineering careers for life. She was born in Colombia, South America, and moved to Canada as a teenager.
Andrea Marciales is a professional engineer and intermediate researcher on InnoTech Alberta’s Corrosion Engineering team. Originally from northeastern Colombia near the Venezuelan border and close to the country’s oilfields, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 2010 and began her career as a consultant for the Colombian Institute of Petroleum. In 2013, she moved to Canada to pursue a Master’s in Petroleum Engineering. A passionate advocate for equity and diversity in the profession, Andrea has been a dedicated WES volunteer for over five years, driven by her belief in Engineers Canada’s 30 by 30 Initiative.
