Emma Victoria Smith

Job:

Engineering Manager

Company:

Awaze

I am an Engineering Manager for a Product Team. I run a team of Software Engineers and a QA, working closely with our Product Owner and Business Analyst. This involves leading the team, people management, planning the delivery of the product, being accountable for the technical approach of the product and getting involved in pairing and coding with the team.

I am...

Reliable

Organised

Resilient

The skills I use most in my job...

Problem Solving

Leadership

Planning

Decision Making

Coding & Pair Programming

The most interesting thing I've worked on in my career so far...

I have worked on a number of software applications that have all had different and interesting problems to solve, and led me to work with various different technical solutions. However, I would say overall the most interesting thing I have done so far is leading a team, the different challenges that can bring, and seeing them progress.

What inspired me into digital and tech...

My favourite subjects at school were IT and Maths which led me to take up an IT A-Level at College. This turned out to be the A-Level I enjoyed the most, and well, my better grade. I knew I wanted to go to University and something with Computers was what I was interested in. I didn't really want to do a degree in Computer Science, I didn't think I would be able to do it, so I opted for a degree in Computing. Turns out they were basically the same and I didn't really know what any of it meant and what I was getting myself in for… I didn't even know what programming was and honestly really struggled with that part of the degree at first but I persevered, then a couple of years in it clicked. I wouldn't change it, as I love working in Tech.

My educational background is...

I left school with GCSE's, went to a Sixth Form College and came away with 3 A Levels and an AS Level. I then went to University and did an Undergrad in Computing and a Masters in Advanced Computing. Once my Masters was completed I did a 6 month Software Developer Internship at my University while I considered the option of continuing with a PhD. However, I decided I wanted to get into industry and got a job as a Graduate Software Engineer.