Engineering news
The IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award is still open for entries. Here we ask Orla, last year’s winner, what winning has meant to her and what she has been doing since she won the award.
Since winning the Young Woman Young Engineer of the Year Award, I have been an ambassador for young female engineers, meeting people young and old to try change perceptions about engineering as a career only for men. I have been a judge at the Big Bang Fair for the Talent 2030 National Engineering Competition for Girls. I have also attended careers evenings, school talks, science project days and universities.
One of the most memorable things I have been involved with actually involves my old primary school, Ballinora National School, which has been doing an ‘Engineering in a Box’ programme devised by STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) Education Ltd. I am an ambassador for the programme, which brings engineering to primary schools in Ireland for the first time. Going back and visiting the school and my former teachers was a brilliant experience. I got to talk to three year groups about my job and the types of testing and teamwork that goes on in a big company. I hope that they will all become engineers!
I have also had the opportunity to talk the media about my career path into engineering, reaching a wider audience in this way. I have been interviewed and written articles for a variety of newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, the Daily Mirror, the Financial Times, the Irish Country Living magazine and the Irish Farmers Journal. My profile has been featured on many education and career websites such as the Talent2030 and the SkoolGirl websites.
The year so far has been dynamic, varied and exciting. It is my goal as the Young Woman Engineer of the Year to challenge perceptions about engineering by showcasing what an exciting career I have as an Audio Engineer for Jaguar Land Rover. Working on the sound systems in cars is proof that engineering is fun, and I hope that by hearing my story more young women will consider a future in engineering.
Inspired by Orla’s story? Apply to become the next Young Woman Engineer of the Year at www.theiet.org/ywe