A trailblazing engineer with a passion for sewers and teddy bears has become the longest serving female employee at Severn Trent - clocking up a record 49 YEARS.

Sue Coulthard has undertaken a number of key roles within the waste engineering departments since beginning work as a draughtsperson in the summer of 1975.

Forging a successful career in a then, male-dominated industry while bringing up a young family was occasionally challenging for the devoted mum-of-two in her early days.

However, Sue’s engineering talent, hard work and dedication saw her career blossom to become a Sewage Asset Manager, based at Raynesway in Derby.

She is now the longest serving female at Coventry-based Severn Trent, the only FTSE 100 company to have women in all three roles of chief executive, chief finance officer and chairperson.

Sue said: “Gender has nothing to do with how good you are at this job – it’s about application and hard work.” 

Sue spoke as Severn Trent is marking its own 50^th anniversary. A series of articles are planned, titled: “Our people, proudly serving our region for 50 years.”

Initially a draughtsperson, Sue enrolled on day-release college and university courses and graduated with Civil Engineering qualifications – plus an Outstanding Student and Special Project award.

Her roles within Waste have included sewer design, adoptions, condition analysis, hydraulic modelling and flow monitoring.  She also helped deliver the company’s very first Drainage Area Study and worked on industry leading CCTV programmes.

She added: “Looking at the underground labyrinth of pipework has always been fascinating to me.  I don’t think most people can comprehend how complex some of the sewer systems under their feet really are.

“In the past I’ve been into some of our big sewers, which is an experience itself!” .

Sue also managed the complex Trunk Sewer CCTV Project in 2019 and 2020 - surveying all sewers greater than 1800mm. This included the Coventry Trunk Sewer, used in the filming of the iconic Italian Job movie in 1968, starring Michael Caine.

Away from work, Sue’s biggest passion is clearly her family including husband Mac, who she married in 1980 after designing and making her own wedding dress.  They are proud parents to boys Sam and Jack, who both went on to gain university degrees, Sam in Business Studies and former Severn Trent employee Jack in Quantity Surveying.

Being a new mum back in the 80s did not come without its challenges and Sue recalls returning to work just 12 weeks after Sam was born.

Severn Trent has recently introduced a leading new maternity policy which offers mums up to 46 weeks leave, which Sue said was “fantastic. I’m really happy times have now changed.”

Another of Sue’s passions is creating collectable mohair teddy bears. Her sewing talent saw her bears win awards at the British Bear Artist Awards 1997 and 1998 –but she never considered taking up a new career.

“My passion for bear-making remains a cherished hobby, as I really enjoy my work at Severn Trent,” she said.

Devoted Sue and Mac also spent years renovating a burned-out former chapel in rural Derbyshire, to turn it into a loving home which is full of happy memories of all their family, including granddaughter Ruby and lurcher Roo.

“It was a shell when we bought it, but it’s finally finished now,” said Sue. “But because of its location we are not connected to the public sewerage system, we have a septic tank. And yes, I can see the irony!”

Looking back on her groundbreaking career, she said: “I’m very proud to have completed 49 years… Severn Trent has been very good to me over the years. Now I would like to reach 50 years in July next year!”