Published on 26-May-2026
What Is the Role of Women in NDT? Breaking Barriers and Shaping the Future
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Episode Overview
2. Meet the Panelists
3. How They Found NDT — Stories From the Panel
4. Challenges Women Face in NDT
5. Addressing Stereotypes: The Elephant in the Room
6. What Can We Do to Drive Change?
7. Where Do We Need More Women in NDT?
8. Looking Ahead: NDT in 10 Years
9. Key Q&A Highlights
10. Key Takeaways
11. FAQ
1. Episode Overview
The timing of this March session of NDT Talks could not have been more fitting — just days away from International Women’s Day, and the topic being explored felt very relevant not just for the occasion but for where the NDT industry needs to go. What is the role of women in NDT? How are they breaking barriers and shaping the future of Non-Destructive Testing?
Traditionally, NDT has been seen as a male-dominated space. It is technical, field-heavy, and safety-critical. But the reality today is that women are showing up in technical roles, in commercial leadership, and in decision-making positions across the globe. That shift deserves a real conversation — not a feel-good celebration, but an honest discussion about real experiences, what has changed, what has not, and what still needs to.
2. Meet the Panelists
Moderator Adriana Nazera, Marketing Manager at Wiro — a company doing genuinely exciting work in aerial robotic-enabled inspections, rethinking how NDT gets done in places that are hard to reach or dangerous to access — brought together four outstanding women whose perspectives span the full spectrum of the NDT industry.
3. How They Found NDT — Stories From the Panel
One of the most striking themes that emerged immediately was how each panelist came to NDT — not through deliberate planning, but through what they affectionately called a “lucky accident.” This is itself revealing: NDT is not yet a field that young people, particularly young women, actively seek out. But once they arrive, they almost universally stay — by choice.
Amanda Peace — From Furlough to Passion
Lori Bazaar — Passion Recognised at the Door
Jackie Berry — Born to Sell, Stayed for the Industry
Navita Gupta — From Engineering Professor to NDT Director
4. Challenges Women Face in NDT
The conversation turned honest and direct when the panel discussed the specific barriers women have encountered — and in many cases, still encounter — in the NDT industry.
Lack of Visibility and Role Models
Jackie highlighted that the biggest barrier has historically been a simple lack of awareness. NDT was not something that people, particularly women, actively learned about even twenty years ago. Jobs were word-of-mouth, and in a male-dominated industry it was males who recruited males. Without role models to look up to or mentors who had built long careers, the profession was far less visible as a viable path for women.
Being Taken Seriously
Physical Demands and Outdated Perceptions
Jackie pointed out that historically the job was perceived as purely physical work — shift work, offshore inspections, travel to refineries and pipelines. The infrastructure simply was not built for women: PPE was not available in female sizes, accommodation and toilet facilities in remote locations were inadequate. These were real, daily obstacles that have only recently begun to be addressed.
Proving Technical Credibility
Work-Life Balance and Parenthood
Lori raised something rarely discussed openly: the reality of combining a demanding technical career with parenthood. The charge on women’s shoulders remains heavy, and when progressing in one’s career, the timing of starting a family can become — consciously or not — a factor in decision-makers’ minds, regardless of gender.
5. Addressing Stereotypes: The Elephant in the Room
Moderator Adriana invited the panel to speak about something most events shy away from: the stereotypes that still exist in NDT, and the specific ways they play out in day-to-day professional life.
“Decisions Don’t Always Happen in the Boardroom”
Jackie confirmed this, noting that when she stopped drinking for health reasons, clients and colleagues genuinely treated her differently when she asked for a Diet Coke instead of wine. These cultural norms, informal as they are, create invisible barriers that formal diversity policies cannot easily address.
The “Too Something” Trap
Physical Strength Myths
The perception of NDT as a job requiring brute physical strength is still present, though increasingly outdated. Equipment has become far more portable and the work is increasingly about technical skill, interpretation, and precision — areas where women are demonstrating high competence, backed by certifications, conference contributions, and research publications.
6. What Can We Do to Drive Change?
Be Visible — At Every Level
Amanda, who serves as Chairwoman for Women in NDT at ASNT, emphasised the importance of changing the narrative from a closed-door conversation to an open, inclusive dialogue. Men who are unaware of the daily experiences of their female colleagues are far more likely to understand and act when those experiences are shared openly. “If we just talk about it behind closed doors, men are not going to be aware of the things we still run into.”
Conference Papers, Standards Committees, Publications
Jackie emphasised becoming visible through active participation — on standards committees, at conferences, in professional organisations such as BINDT and ASNT. Women contributing to papers and publications signals unambiguously that they are part of the industry, not an addition to it.
Mentorship — The Most Powerful Tool
Competence Commands Respect
7. Where Do We Need More Women in NDT?
Leadership, Management, and the C-Suite
Amanda referenced The Broken Rung, a book examining the data behind why — despite women making up a significant portion of college graduates — they account for only around 10% of C-suite executives. Improving work-life balance for women in NDT would be the most effective multiplier for increasing female representation at senior levels.
Customer-Facing and Commercial Roles
Jackie noted that as the industry evolves, there are more choices available in customer-facing roles — the people who bridge the technical side with the commercial side. Communication strengths and relational intelligence, qualities women frequently bring, are enormously valuable in these spaces.
Data Interpretation, AI, and Advanced Technology
Training, Education, and Certification
Navita’s own role as Director of the Satya School of NDT highlights one of the most strategically important areas: shaping the next generation before they begin. The people who train, certify, and mentor incoming professionals have an outsized impact on industry culture over time. More women in these roles means more visible role models at the earliest career stage.
8. Looking Ahead: NDT in 10 Years
9. Key Q&A Highlights
10. Key Takeaways
- Women currently make up less than 9% of the NDT workforce — a figure that underscores both the challenge and the opportunity.
- Most women in NDT arrived by accident, not by design. The industry needs to become a proactive, visible career destination.
- Credibility is earned through demonstrated competence — gender is never a substitute for expertise, and expertise is never diminished by gender.
- Informal networking cultures still create structural disadvantages for women, and honest acknowledgement of this is the first step to changing it.
- Mentorship is the most powerful tool currently available for bringing more women into NDT and supporting their growth to senior levels.
- Work-life balance is not a women’s issue — it is an industry issue, and improving it is the most effective way to retain female talent.
- Gen Z and Gen Alpha are entering the workforce without the career-gender conditioning of previous generations — and this is a genuinely positive force for change.
- The conversation has shifted from “can women succeed in NDT?” to “how are women shaping the future of NDT?” — the panelists are living proof.
11. Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of the NDT workforce are women?
According to Amanda Peace in this session, women currently make up less than 9% of the NDT workforce. This figure — while representing growth from previous decades — highlights the significant opportunity that remains for greater gender inclusion across the industry.
Is NDT a good career for women?
Absolutely. All four panelists — each with between 15 and 25 years of NDT experience — describe it as a deeply rewarding career that offers variety, technical challenge, global travel, and increasingly flexible working arrangements. The industry is evolving rapidly, with data interpretation, AI, and remote inspection all opening new pathways that are not dependent on physical strength.
What are the main challenges for women in Non-Destructive Testing?
Key challenges include: lack of early visibility of NDT as a career option; the need to earn technical credibility in environments that may initially underestimate female expertise; informal decision-making cultures that create structural disadvantages; work-life balance pressures that fall disproportionately on women, particularly around parenthood; and limited female representation at senior and leadership levels.
What is ASNT Women in NDT?
ASNT (American Society for Nondestructive Testing) has a Women in NDT initiative that Amanda Peace chairs and Jackie Berry participates in. It supports, represents, and advocates for women across the NDT profession — running forums, producing data on gender representation, and building mentorship pathways.
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