What’s it like being a woman in engineering?

Emma McAllister, Apprentice Engineer, Thales UK

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your route into engineering?

I’m currently in the third year of a 5-year Engineering Degree Apprenticeship at Thales, studying mechatronics engineering alongside working in the business.

When I first joined, we completed rotations across different departments before choosing a specialism. During my second year I worked in environmental test and trials and really enjoyed it, so I decided to stay there. I love the hands-on nature of the role. I get to test products in different environments and conditions. Every day feels different, which really suits me.

What does your role involve?

A big part of my role is testing products to make sure they can withstand different environmental conditions and perform reliably.

People are often surprised by how varied engineering can be. Before joining, I thought engineering was mainly computer-aided design work or electrical switchboards, but there are so many different specialisms.

In environmental testing, we’re effectively trying to push products to their limits to make them better and more reliable. That can involve testing things like cooling, heating and climatic conditions, sometimes using huge environmental chambers that feel like giant ovens!

Did you always know you wanted to go into engineering?

I knew I wanted to do something hands-on and technical, but I didn’t fully understand what engineering actually involved at first.

Growing up, I loved technology and design at school. My dad was always working on cars, so I’d been exposed to practical problem-solving from a young age. For a while I thought maybe I wanted to be a mechanic, but then I started exploring wider engineering opportunities.

I also knew early on that I didn’t want to go to university full-time. I wanted to be learning practically as well as academically.

What advice would you give to someone considering engineering or apprenticeships?

Give it a go. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start, and you definitely shouldn’t let stereotypes put you off. Engineering is so much broader than people realise, and there are lots of different paths within it.

For me, the biggest thing is that I genuinely enjoy what I do. I come to work feeling proud of the projects I’m involved in, and that’s a great feeling.

Freya Baker, Systems Engineering Degree Apprentice, Thales UK

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your route into engineering?

I’m currently doing a Systems Engineering Degree Apprenticeship at Thales. Before that, I studied maths, computer science and psychology at A level.

I always knew I wanted to do an apprenticeship rather than go down the traditional university route. By the time I finished my GCSEs and A levels I knew I learned better with a hands-on approach.

I didn’t necessarily have a specific engineering role in mind at first, I just knew I wanted to work in tech and problem-solving. When I came across the systems engineering apprenticeship, it stood out because it offered variety, from software and hardware through to testing and deployment.

What does systems engineering involve?

Systems engineering is about following a project through its whole lifecycle.

You might start with understanding what the client needs, then move into development, testing and eventually deployment. It gives you exposure to lots of different areas, which is one of the reasons I like it so much.

I think it’s a really good middle ground because you get to understand how all the different parts fit together. There’s a bit of software, a bit of hardware, project work, problem-solving – it’s very varied.

Did you always know you wanted to work in engineering?

I always knew I liked tech, but I didn’t necessarily think of engineering as a career for me at first. 

I thought engineering was mainly people physically building things or working with hardware all day. It wasn’t until I started researching roles and apprenticeships that I realised how varied engineering actually is.

Looking back, my interest probably started quite early. At primary school I used Scratch coding software and ended up winning “star of the week” for it, which sparked something for me. I also joined robotics clubs later on and really enjoyed computer science at school.

What advice would you give to someone considering engineering or apprenticeships?

Don’t be afraid to try something new.

You don’t need to have your whole career mapped out straight away, and engineering is much broader than most people realise. There are so many different routes and opportunities within the industry.

Also, stay open-minded. One of the best things about Thales is how many different departments and projects there are, from underwater systems to AI and software. It feels like there are endless opportunities to explore what interests you most.