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Newry recycling company Re-Gen is encouraging more women to join the sector, as new research shows women are projected to hold only a quarter of green jobs by 2030. The UK Government has reported that female representation in science and technology-based roles remains low, according to further research published by Nesta, a UK-based research and innovation foundation.
Re-Gen, one of Ireland and the UK's largest recycling companies, currently employs 400 people over two sites in Newry, 25 per cent of whom are female. The company is actively encouraging women to join the recycling sector through full-time roles, apprenticeships and placement opportunities in a range of disciplines including engineering, IT, digital technology, data, design and technical operations.
Anna McAteer, from Killeavy, is studying a BSc in Business Information Technology and has spent the past year completing a placement within Re-Gen's IT department. She has enhanced her technical knowledge while contributing to projects that support Re-Gen to continue driving its IT integration in all areas of the business. Her placement experience has been shaped by her mentor, Sarah Keown, a Business Systems Analyst at Re-Gen with seven years' experience to date.
Anna said: "Having a female mentor provided the opportunity to see first-hand what a long-term career in technology can look like and how the skills I have been developing can be applied to real-world business challenges. This placement at Re-Gen has given me confidence to pursue a career in STEAM."
In recent years Re-Gen has invested £30m into innovative carbon emission reduction technology and has plans to invest a further £50m by 2030.
Commercial Director Celine Doherty said supporting more women to enter careers in the green economy was not only about improving representation in STEAM fields, but about ensuring the business had access to the widest pool of talent. She said: "The Re-Gen Academy was launched as part of our long-term commitment to developing skilled talent in the region, and it intentionally connects education with the workplace. Rather than simply limiting learning to the classroom, the students we work with are given the opportunity, alongside a mentor, to see how disciplines such as engineering and IT directly support our day-to-day operations. This real-world view inspires young people to pursue a STEAM field as their chosen career path.
"We understand how important it is to challenge perceptions when it comes to STEAM roles. As the recycling business continues to embrace new technologies, be it AI-led sorting or automation, the demand for these skills will only increase, and we are committed to being an employer that encourages and supports women to not only shape their own career, but to shape our business, and the future of the recycling industry itself."
Re-Gen has supported 35 students through its Re-Gen Academy to date, with 95 per cent going on to secure full-time employment in the business. Last year Deloitte named Re-Gen as one of its Best Managed Companies, awarding it a Gold Award for its resilience, innovation and team culture.
Alongside supporting its employees, Re-Gen is committed to good causes in the local community, having donated £1 million to charities to date, including £130,000 in 2025 alone.
More information is available at regenwaste.com.
