Breaking Barriers: How Samantha Shelley Became Woods' First Female Engineering Apprentice
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- People
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- 5:00
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- Sue Varley
In 1984, a determined 16-year-old walked through the doors of Woods (now part of FläktGroup) in Colchester and quietly made history. Samantha Shelley—then Samantha Linguard—became Woods' first female engineering apprentice, paving the way for future generations in an industry where women were rare.
From Apprentice to Industry Expert: A Journey Rooted in Engineering Excellence
Born and raised in Colchester, Sam left grammar school after her O-levels with big ambitions and a passion for technical work. At a time when engineering was still considered a male-dominated field, she not only secured an apprenticeship at Woods but also applied for a role as a Tornado aircraft technician with the Ministry of Defence. Her determination marked the beginning of a career that would span decades and evolve into a thriving consultancy supporting medical-device innovation.
Sam began her apprenticeship as one of just three engineering apprentices in 1984. In a testament to the close-knit nature of the company—one of the young men who trained alongside her eventually married her sister, becoming her brother-in-law years later.
Engineering in the Mid-80s: A Different World
The engineering environment Sam entered was very much a product of its time. On the shop floor at Woods, the workforce was entirely male; the only other women in the building were in the offices or the Winding Shop. At college, in the apprentices’ area, Sam found she was the only woman, and the building didn’t even have a women’s toilet.
Technology itself was also at a very different stage. As a Mechanical Engineering Technician, one of Sam’s very first tasks was to build her own toolbox—and some of the tools to go in it—drawing on the modest metalwork and woodwork skills she’d picked up at school. At that time, it was still far more common for girls to be steered toward home economics or needlework instead of practical trades.
Sam completed her City & Guilds qualifications through day-release college study, steadily building the foundations of her engineering career.
Holding Her Own
Despite being “a bit of a new thing at Woods,” Sam took the atmosphere in her stride.
“I was always good at banter and developed a thick skin pretty quickly. It was a jokey, blokey atmosphere and I was really well treated, but there was a fine line – I didn’t want special treatment and I didn’t want anyone to feel they had to change the way they did things.”
Her apprenticeship included six-month rotations across the business, including a three-month period in the Research and Development lab—she remembers this place with particular fondness.
Celebrating Over 100 Years of Innovation: FläktGroup’s Journey Through Time
FläktGroup is proud to be celebrating more than a century of shaping the future of air technology. This milestone honours our long-standing legacy of innovation, our commitment to sustainability, and the people - like Sam Shelley - who have driven our success for over 100 years.
Our celebration of our past brings together product campaigns and brand storytelling to showcase not only what we create but also the heritage and values that define us.
From pioneering air technology to leading in energy-efficient solutions, our history tells a powerful story of progress and purpose.
Want to know more about our history? Explore our timeline exploring all the key moments of our journey: