A year ago, Princess joined the business as a Solution Design Engineer.
Fresh out of university and straight into the deep end.
She studied mechanical engineering at university, a course she jokes she chose to avoid essays, but in reality, it was anything but the ‘easy option’.
“I like maths and science, so I figured, what can I do that combines the two?
“I chose mechanical engineering because it involved more calculations than the other engineering fields. So I thought it would be my best choice.
“It was!”
She admitted she was overwhelmed at first because there was a lot to learn, but she’s now found her feet and is doing great.
“When I first joined, I didn’t know what to expect. But it’s been really good.
“Everyone’s been supportive and friendly, so it wasn’t as daunting as I thought it would be.”
She was one of only eight women in an engineering course of over a hundred students.
“There were ninety-two boys and eight girls in my course.
“So, I feel like it’s still seen as a male-dominated industry.
“Coming in as a woman, you have to make sure you take up space. If a man can do it, why not a woman?”
One year into her career, she’s become an essential part of the Alwayse team.
Here is what her manager James had to say:
“Since Princess started with us in July last year, I’ve been impressed by her technical capabilities.
“Often we would be on a site visit, and while I was talking, she’d be observing how a system or process worked. Then she’d make a few changes to improve its productivity.
“She has quickly become a valuable asset for the entire team at Alwayse.”
Princess is the person who takes customer briefs and turns them into solutions.
She’ll visit a site, ask the right questions, sketch out designs, pull together costings and quotes, and make sure the product we deliver is exactly what the customer needs.
“I remember the day when I got my first big order. I remember thinking, I can really do this!”.
While she’s grown her confidence in her role, what she values most is the atmosphere:
“I like how friendly everyone is. We’re all getting the job done but also having a laugh. And because I like to laugh, I like people who like to laugh, too.”
It hasn’t all been easy. Engineering requires patience, and she’ll admit that’s not her strongest trait.
But she’s learned to work through the back-and-forth that comes with projects, the changes, and last-minute requests, and she’s handled it all with a calm confidence.
Yesterday was International Women in Engineering Day, and we wanted to share her story because we want more girls to see engineering as a career where they belong, not one they feel shut out of by outdated stereotypes or a lack of representation.
Happy one year anniversary Princess, and thank you for everything you’ve brought to the team this past year.
We can’t wait to see where you go from here.
