Apprentice to Professional

Beth - Assistant Engineering Technician




Today is Women in Engineering Day! T
his year celebrates the amazing work that women engineers around the world are doing, and not just to respond to the pandemic but also to support lives and livelihoods every day. Beth, Assistant Engineering Technician talks about her experience of being a young women in STEM.

All throughout secondary school my favourite subject was design and technology. Partly because of the problem solving and hands on content, but also partly due to a teacher who encouraged me as a young woman in STEM.
 
I knew from a young age that I would pursue a career in engineering, and I was fortunate enough to discover my true passion within the industry as I started my A levels - bridges. I then steered my subjects in this direction, where possible, to help me get my dream job. I wrote a dissertation on how bridge technology has changed over the last century for my Extended Project Qualification, and I designed a bridge for my school grounds for my DT coursework. This made me well prepared for my interview at Devon County Council.
 
I started with DCC in September 2019. Since then I have completed my HNC in Civil and Coastal Engineering and have begun my Civil Engineering degree at the University of Exeter. I am a registered Engineering technician with the ICE and Engineering Council, an achievement I am incredibly proud of.
 
In my last 2 and a half years in the Engineering Design Group (EDG) I have developed my CAD skills, assisted my colleagues with various different schemes, helped with several STEM events to promote civil engineering, and designed a pedestrian footbridge in Exeter. I am also part of the carbon reduction board, an incredibly important cause. Currently my main scheme is the design of a new recycling centre in Tavistock, specifically all of the reinforced concrete retaining walls.
 
The best part of my job is feeling like I have a positive impact on the world. I see day to day how works I have been involved with are improving the lives of those around me, and will for the next 100 years. A huge benefit of being an engineer within the council is that we get to see projects from conception through to construction. Seeing something you drew on paper become a structure before your eyes is a strange yet fantastic feeling.
 
I am proud to represent women in STEM, and will continue to do everything I can to encourage the younger generations to pursue engineering in the future. It is an incredibly fulfilling feeling to attend STEM events; I get to share my passions, and see so many young women not afraid to express interest in STEM and ask question after question. It is so important to encourage the younger generations, if my DT teacher hadn’t encouraged me I wouldn't be writing this blog post for DCC today, or have my dream job.

Beth

Assistant Engineering Technician  

Structures Design





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