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I hadn’t considered engineering as a career until year 10 when I had a week’s work experience at Airbus. As maths was my favourite subject, I was placed in the team working on the A380 landing-gear test rig. I spent most of that week problem solving and it completely convinced me that I should be an engineer.
I went to the University of Leicester and chose mechanical engineering over the general engineering course because general engineering sounded too vague. I’m pleased now that I did. But, if I had my time again, I would do an apprenticeship as I feel that is a better route into engineering. But at the time it was never mentioned.
After graduation I applied to many graduate schemes and managed to get a position as a graduate engineer at Colas Rail in Manchester. I was meant to spend the full two years doing signalling design but rather fortuitously I was able to instead gain a wide range of experience in different roles and was fully welcomed into the railway family.
The scheme came to an end, but I didn’t have to look far for my next role. Amey, an engineering company delivering infrastructure solutions, shared the same building as Colas Rail and so I approached them. They mentioned a role as an assistant overhead line design engineer on the railway, which is a form of mechanical engineering. It’s a role I hadn’t thought about but, as one of my biggest life lessons is that you don’t know what you’ll enjoy until you do it, I decided to go for it. Over the next five years I rose through the ranks and I’m now a senior design engineer.
Another life lesson I live by is to say yes to opportunities because you don’t know where they’ll lead. In 2022, IMechE put me forward for the Baroness Platt of Writtle Award, which is given to the candidate with the most outstanding incorporated engineering application nationwide across all institutions. I knew it would be hard work to complete the application, but I decided to grab the opportunity. I successfully got through to the final and following a presentation and interview with representatives from the Worshipful Company of Engineers, including the granddaughter of Baroness Platt, which was truly an honour, I was announced as the 2022 winner. It was an incredible experience and the proudest moment of my career so far.
What I most love about engineering is the problem-solving aspect of it. There are many challenges in our world that engineering can find solutions for. In my role I am part of a team developing railway 3D modelling software, Amey Integrate, that aims to simplify and automate design-and-build projects. The data we use will help us make better decisions to decarbonise and make electrification more affordable. It’s a very exciting but challenging project and one thing I’ve learned when you feel challenged is to never be afraid to ask questions. I think the more you know, the more you can learn. Asking as many questions as possible always seems to take me in the right direction.
While I’m passionate about engineering I am also passionate about the wellbeing of those working in engineering. I have been volunteering for the role of wellbeing ambassador within Amey since 2020 to help promote mental health and wellbeing. One of my key learnings is that we need to keep in mind that everyone’s human. There is a stigma around mental health within engineering and people should feel comfortable and supported in bringing their whole self to work.
Engineering was never mentioned to me as a career option when I was young. I believe it’s really important to inspire the next generation, particularly girls, to follow a career in engineering. I am a passionate STEM ambassador and volunteer with Stemazing to help promote engineering to young people. Planting that seed early is one of the best ways I think that we can start changing the culture of how engineering is viewed.
What I’ve learned above all in these first few years in what I hope will be a long career in engineering is to be yourself. Don’t try and change your personality to fit a role. Be authentically you. It means you’ll fit into the right team and you’ll find the right people who will support and cheerlead for you.
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.