Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 11
“I want to be the kind of person
I once needed when I was starting
out, someone visible, supportive,
and quietly proving that it
is possible.”
What are some of the biggest obstacles
young people face in starting their
careers today?
What kind of impact do you hope to have
in your work, in this industry, or for the next
generation coming behind you?
One of the biggest challenges is just how busy everyone is. When you
join as a trainee or a new graduate, you’re expected to learn, develop,
and prove yourself all at once, but the people you need to learn from
are often running multiple projects and don’t always have time to sit with
you. If you just wait for someone to be free, it usually won’t happen.
The impact I hope to have is deeply personal. I want to be the kind
of person I once needed when I was starting out — someone visible,
supportive, and quietly proving that it is possible.
I faced that myself. When I 昀椀rst joined, there was only one electrical
engineer in my team and he was extremely busy. At the beginning, I
kept waiting for the right time to ask questions, but I quickly realised that
wouldn’t work. I had to be persistent and go to him to ask questions. I
learned to push myself to ask, follow up, and not be afraid to take up
space. Over time, I also learned the importance of being organised, like
booking time in people’s calendars instead of hoping they’d be free.
Another challenge is being expected to pick up new skills very quickly,
sometimes without formal training. When our design resource left, I
suddenly had to learn AutoCAD from scratch, even though I’d never
used it before. There was no choice but to learn on the job. I think
that’s a big reality for young people as they start their careers. The
reality today is that early-career professionals must take ownership
of their development. Waiting to be taught is no longer enough. You
have to seek knowledge, ask dif昀椀cult questions, and sometimes learn in
uncomfortable conditions.
There were moments early in my career when I doubted myself. When
I walked onto site and felt like I had to work twice as hard to be heard.
When I was unsure whether I truly belonged in the room. If my presence
today makes even one young woman feel less alone in that moment,
then that already means something.
I want to build more than projects. I want to build con昀椀dence in others
and for the next generation to step into this industry not questioning
whether they 昀椀t, but knowing they do. I want them to feel that
engineering is not just a space they are allowed to enter, but a space
they are capable of leading.
When a graduate grows into a con昀椀dent engineer, when someone
speaks up because they saw you do it 昀椀rst, when a young woman
chooses this 昀椀eld because she saw someone like her succeed, that is an
impact that lasts longer than any building.
If, years from now, there are more women leading sites, directing
strategy, and shaping the future of digital infrastructure — and I played
even a small part in that shift — that would be something I am truly
proud of.
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