Can you tell us about your Engineering Journey?  

I was inspired by the women in my family who are Engineers. I have two aunts who had very interesting and satisfying international Engineering careers so I always knew that it was a possible career for me. 

I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Management at Imperial College London. My first job after graduating was working for a major oil and gas services company in Aberdeen who came to a graduate careers fair in my final year. Previously, I had not considered a career in that field. However, it seemed like a great opportunity with potential for a lot of adventure and travelling. The application process of uploading a CV and a couple of interviews was actually really straightforward and painless, which I really appreciated as an inexperienced student. I thoroughly enjoyed my training period and learned a lot about the energy industry. I was very appreciative that more established Engineers were so open to sharing their knowledge. 

I currently work as an Innovation Engineer. This involved conducting research into the different technologies and systems that could reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from operating power plants. I get to take a really deep dive into the ways that the energy landscape in the UK needs to change in order for the UK to reach its Carbon Zero by 2050 aim.  

How did your degree prepare you for your career?  

I think that the main outcome of an Engineering degree is in teaching you to become skilled at thinking practically and working your way through the steps to solve a problem which is a huge part of being an Engineer.  As I have predominantly worked in the energy industry, certain modules such as power and energy systems engineering have been very helpful.  

I have applied the teachings from the management units in my degree. My current role involves assessing the feasibility of potential new power systems and  the modules I took in innovation management and entrepreneurship help in determining the economic impact of new systems.  

What are your greatest achievements so far?   

I was part of a team that successfully delivered a £1bn infrastructure project that improved the energy capability in the South East of England. I was a Project Supervisor and made sure that the project was delivered to time, cost, quality and safety standards. 

What advice would you give to students who aspire to a career in Engineering?   

Keep an open mind to all the possibilities out there in Engineering and I think a lot of people would be surprised by the variety of careers available for Engineers. Do the research and don’t limit yourself to the typical courses you think you should do. In my experience, Engineers come from all walks of life and work in all industries.

What does diversity in Engineering mean to you?   

A large part of Engineering involves working in terms in order to complete projects to time, budget and quality. I look forward to the day when these teams have adequate racial and gender parity, as I know first-hand the advantages and benefits that diversity brings. If everyone is the same and thinks the same, then how will we get new and innovative ideas?

We need to think about the younger generation and how to attract them to Engineering.  It is a fact that children are inspired by what they see and if they see someone like them then they know that they can work in that field.  We need to nurture these ambitions and inspire young people from diverse backgrounds and show them that they can have fulfilling careers and make a real impact in the world. 

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