To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we caught up with Plant and Lifting Engineering Assistant Zarin Tania, one of our newest graduates, who graduated with a Masters in Advanced Mechanical Engineering last September. Zarin walks us through her journey to becoming an engineer, her life in a #STEM environment (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics); and her role within Select.

Why did you want to join Select and what have you done since joining us through the Laing O’Rourke graduate programme?

I wanted to join a company that’s determined in creating change and impact, through innovation and engineering as well as one that provides career development, which Select has proven so far.

As an assistant lifting engineer, I have spent the first seven months in Select’s technical team. This position has involved planning tower crane schemes and attending site visits to put theory into practice.

Currently I am working for Select’s operations team, on a rotation, where I have been working on various projects, including optimising tooling for specific crane components and falling objects. It is fair to say I have learnt a lot during my time with Select so far, and I am still learning at least one new thing every day.

What inspired you to undertake a career in engineering?

At school, I was a fan of maths and physics and wanted to somehow incorporate and apply this into the real world. I later found out that this is exactly what engineering does, with the end goal always being to create something tangible, to improve the quality of life for people, create a real impact and purpose. My eyes into the realm of engineering were widened after winning an engineering scholarship during my A-levels. The scholarship gave me the opportunity to experience different sectors within engineering – everything from optimising microscopes that are used in London’s Science Museum to being an engineering officer in the Royal Air Force, all of which were exciting in their own way. This, combined with other engineering internships, solidified my choice of becoming an engineer, as I felt it created a sense purpose.

What advice do you have for women starting in the STEM industries?

I would tell them to go for it as nothing is stopping them. Construction is a fulfilling industry and one that needs more women, not just to reduce the margin between women and men in STEM, but because we can do a great job of it. There is a lot of support and encouragement for women in STEM, so we are not alone and we are definitely appreciated. However, the reality in this industry is that it can sometimes be daunting, and you will be put outside your comfort zone. The only way to overcome this is to just go for it and say ‘yes’ to opportunities that may seem a little intimidating or uncomfortable.