Emily Roach

When I was in Year 11, I was a big fish in a small pond, and I think if I had stayed at my secondary school for A Levels, University would have been a big shock to the system. Coming to Esher with such a large number of students, I came across so many different personalities and backgrounds which was good practice for the social side of Uni.

At college we were treated more like adults, which felt great but taught me some good lessons about managing my own time, organising my studies and the consequences of procrastination!

At 17, I had no idea what I wanted to do! I went to my physics teacher Mary and told her I liked maths and physics but didn’t fancy doing maths or physics as a degree. She asked if I had considered engineering and handed me a leaflet for a head start engineering taster course. At that point I can honestly say, engineering had never crossed my mind as an option and to be honest I’m not sure if I even really knew what an engineer was. I attended a ”General Engineering” taster course at Cardiff University for a weekend, and the rest is history!

My graduate job is as a Systems Engineer for Transport for London. I love working in the transport industry, as public transport is something we all use and can relate to, and as we all become more environmentally conscious it is going to become an even bigger part of our lives. I feel like part of a positive change as we work to make trains, buses and related infrastructure more accessible, efficient and kinder to the environment.

What motivates me about engineering is: I love problem solving, and I love feeling like I am making a difference. Through engineering you can use technical skills and logical thinking to help make the world a better place.

Engineering is the vehicle that enables today and drives tomorrow. The opportunities to create, innovate, develop, design and overcome are limitless. I would encourage anyone with an interest in science or maths to strongly consider engineering as a career, whether you get there through completing an engineering degree, or doing an apprenticeship.

As a woman in the industry, I have grown used to being one of the only women in the room, but I want to see change as my career progresses. From a selfish perspective, working with other women is so fulfilling and uplifting. But far more importantly, the more diverse a team of engineers is, the more diverse the ideas, solutions and innovations will be. Studies have shown that businesses that realise the importance of gender equality and invest in women see an increase in productivity and business success.

I am extremely grateful for the women who have come before me and shown the world there is space for us in the industry. There is no singular definition of what it means to be an engineer, and no singular definition of what it means to be a woman. I am excited to continue their legacy, as my female colleagues and I continue to demonstrate the impact we can have.

Number one is my degree. Four years working for one final goal, at points it felt like an impossible task. I am proud of myself for persisting and I am glad to say it was worth it in the end.

More recently, at work I was given an award for my contribution whilst on placement on the Bank Station Capacity Upgrade. After a lifetime of working towards exam grades and essay marks it felt great to have my work on a real-life, large-scale project recognised and appreciated. Everyone at Bank is a role model to me, and I feel really proud that the team felt I had made a positive impact.

Other people will have an opinion on you no matter what, so you may as well just be yourself and do what makes you happy.

Stop freaking out – you are going to pass A Level maths!