All Stories

Global Day of the Engineer, Gloria Canales’ Story

Engineering has offered me the chance to follow my dreams. Working at Pepco, I have built a career of more than 30 years in a field that I love thanks to my decision to pursue engineering.

I am originally from El Salvador, and I came to the United States when I was 18 to further my education. This was a challenging experience, but I graduated and found a job at Pepco. I was not originally planning on pursuing a career in engineering, but that changed when Pepco provided me the opportunity to attend a telecommunications engineering program. Working full time and going to school was difficult, but with the support of a great mentor at Pepco, I completed the program and have continued my career in telecom engineering.

Today is April 4, the Global Day of the Engineer, and I hope my story illustrates the potential that engineering careers hold for all people from all parts of the world. Mentorship is a key ingredient in the success of people in any career, and especially engineering. In addition to my professional mentors at Pepco, my grandmother always inspired me. She would often remind me, “Gloria – you cannot give up before trying.” Those words resonated with me, and I hope they resonate with others around the world, especially women and girls, who are dreaming of building a better world in an engineering career.