What made you consider a job in engineering?
When I was younger, I often heard the word ‘engineering’, but I didn’t really understand what it meant and the variety of disciplines it involved. I studied at an all-girls school and sixth form, and it wasn’t really presented as an option to us. There was very little interest in engineering amongst my peers, but I think a lot of this was because we didn’t actually know what engineers do. However, I’d always loved science and maths, and had a creative, artistic side that I knew I wanted to explore, so I started to do my own research.
I originally planned to study architecture. But this all changed when they built a new highway in my home country, Uganda, that had a hugely positive impact on people’s lives, improving travel time between two major cities. This event opened my eyes to the transformative power of infrastructure, and I began to look at ways to be involved. I asked lots of questions about engineering courses at university open days, and watched YouTube videos from female engineers who would show what the profession and the industry were really like. All this led to me choosing civil engineering for my degree.
How have you found coming into your role as a female engineering graduate?
I’m the youngest in my team and the only permanent female team member, which might seem intimidating to some, but I’ve felt so supported from the moment I joined that my gender hasn’t really been a factor. Everyone has been far more interested in really encouraging my development and in being there to help if I have any questions. I’m also given plenty of opportunities to offer my perspective on workflows and tasks, making me feel truly valued within the team.
As a Graduate BIM Information Manager, my role is to check model and data compliance across projects. But I’ve found that within this there’s so much variety. My work involves bringing together different teams – from design managers to trade contractors – by leading coordination meetings and reviewing data to ensure it meets project requirements. I’ve even had the chance to work on external projects with other Morgan Sindall Group companies, which has given me so much experience and knowledge. What I can say, is that I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of female engineers I interact with at the company, as the gender balance is definitely better than what I experienced at university. But overall, because the focus others have is on my progress, not my gender, this means I’ve learnt so much already and am constantly growing, both personally and professionally.
What do you think we could do better to encourage more women into engineering?
Hosting discovery days led by women in the industry is something I think would make a big difference. This type of event for school-aged girls will give them exposure to relatable role-models and a more hands-on experience of what engineering is. From my own experience, I found there is a gap in knowledge about what exactly is meant by a career in engineering, what it actually involves and the different career paths within the industry. Coming from an all-girls educational background, this just wasn’t clear, and it was assumed we had no interest in it. This is a gap that needs to be bridged to get more girls thinking of engineering as a career open to them.
Alongside your role, you’re also an ambassador for our diversity & inclusion group, Belonging. Can you tell us about this?
I’ve always been passionate about social value, so was really pleased to discover BakerHicks has a dedicated D&I group I could actively participate in. Over the past year, I’ve been involved in the Grassroots Connections element of this, helping raise awareness of engineering with young people who may not have thought of it as a career path open to them. I’ve taken part in careers fairs and delivered workshops on digital construction, as well as working on the development of a BIM-specific work experience pack for summer interns. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be able to use my skills to contribute to helping young people find out what our industry is about.
Outside of BakerHicks, you’re very active as an advocate for encouraging young girls into the industry, can you tell us more about this?
I’m one of the founding members of Girls Under Construction, which is a platform designed to help connect, educate and inspire young women to pursue careers in the built environment. As part of this, I’ve coordinated on-site work experience programmes, participated in careers fairs and led social media campaigns to help raise awareness. It’s all incredibly rewarding, and I hope it opens avenues to get more girls and young women thinking about engineering as a career option for them. I’m really proud of the work we’ve done so far.
This year, I’ll also be involved with multiple skills development programmes for young women, as part of my advocacy work as Miss Caribbean and Commonwealth. The UK programme, for young women aged 16-18, will focus on building self-advocacy, self-awareness and self-management skills to help prepare them for their future careers. I’ll then be facilitating a similar programme in Uganda in partnership with Smart Girls Uganda through their Girls with Tools initiative, which is a vocational training programme aimed at equipping young women with hands-on engineering skills. I think it’s really important to help young women feel empowered and show them that engineers aren’t always the stereotype they’d expect, and I feel very privileged to have a platform to be able to do this.
What advice would you give to young girls interested in engineering as a career?
Don’t be afraid to explore engineering. Even if no one around you is talking about it. This was my experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an industry that’s open to you. There are also so many different paths within the field, so I think it’s important to take time to discover what excites you the most and chose what suits you.
Reaching out to people already in the industry can be a big help. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, most are happy to share their journeys and it’s an invaluable way to get insight into what engineering is actually like and the routes into it.
Most importantly, I’d say believe that you belong. Your perspective is valuable, and the industry needs more diverse voices to help shape the future of our built environment.
