Shaping the future of engineering
With women making up half of Fonterra’s apprentices and engineering graduates, the Co-op has a strong pipeline of role models for the next generation.
This International Women in Engineering Day, we’re celebrating four women who keep the Co-op running safely and efficiently every day.
For Tessa Smith, the path into engineering started with a love of maths and science. “Engineering stood out to me because it gave me the opportunity to apply that way of thinking in a really practical way to solve real problems.”
As a Programme Manager Asset Delivery, Tessa works with teams across the Co-op’s Lower North Island sites to ensure projects are safe, reliable and deliver real value. “It’s really rewarding to see something move from an idea or concept through to delivery and actually make a difference.”
Growing up as the resident family ‘repair person’, Dianna Swartz says a career in engineering felt like a natural next step. As a Project Engineer for Control Systems Projects, Diana works on automation and operational technology projects. She says the best thing about working at the Co-op is the people.
Fonterra has so many interesting individuals with stories to tell. I love learning about culture and backgrounds, and my role allows me to interact with people from all walks of life.
For Stella Stiven engineering brings together two passions.
“I’ve always loved physics and maths. But at the same time, I’ve always been drawn to creative activities like drawing, painting, and building things. Engineering felt like the perfect combination of the two.”
Now in her second year of the graduate programme, Stella is part of the Control Systems Projects team, working across sites on projects critical to plant operations. She says seeing ideas come to life is what makes the role rewarding.
Programme Manager Charlene Lew says she’s always been curious about how things work. “Engineering felt like a natural fit because it lets you solve real problems and see the impact of what you do.”
“That curiosity was also shaped early on by my Dad, he’s a mechanic, and he taught me to fix things before giving up on them. That mindset has stuck with me throughout my career.”
Charlene now works across multiple sites to help teams prioritise major maintenance and investment. “Engineering plays a big role in shaping a more sustainable future. It’s exciting to be part of that journey, where small improvements can add up to something meaningful over time.”
Fonterra Chief Engineer Aaron Goldsbury says this kind of thinking is becoming more important as the role of engineer’s changes.
“As engineers, our role is shifting increasingly further away from purely technical expertise to one that values collaboration, adaptability, intuition and empathy, particularly as technologies like AI accelerate.”
The future of engineering isn’t just about technical excellence. We need diverse teams who communicate openly, challenge assumptions constructively and think holistically about the problems we’re trying to solve.
He says the shift is already happening across the Co-op, where engineers work closely with others on site to deliver better outcomes.
As the industry continues to evolve, Aaron believes the strongest engineers will be those who stay curious and keep learning.
“I’m lucky to work with many outstanding women who consistently impress me, not only with their engineering prowess, but also with their curiosity, resilience and the way they bring people together to solve problems.”