Esme Phelps

Job:

Assistant Engineer

Company:

AtkinsRéalis

I am a Mechanical Engineer Consultant. I take problems, devise a solution and then implement the solution alongside a team of other skilled engineers. I work within the Aerospace and Defence Industry so the problems that we are solving are of high importance and impact people’s safety.

I am...

Tenacious

patient

confident

The skills I use most in my job...

Problem Solving

Effective Communication – Spoken and Written

Ability to see the bigger picture

Ingenuity – thinking on my feet

Comprehension

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

The most interesting thing I’ve worked on in my career was the safety and compliance work on the Air-to-Air Refuelling Pods. These are pieces of equipment that allow a larger fuel carrying plane to refill smaller planes in the air so that they don’t have to land to refuel.

What inspired me into digital and tech...

The idea that by working with simple concepts such as maths and physics you can design, make and use a solution to solve some of the world’s problems drew me into a career in engineering.

My educational background is...

At GCSE I took maths, English language and literature, all three sciences, German, history and art; then art, biology, physics and maths at A-Level. Knowing I wanted to be an engineer I went on to get a BEng in Mechanical Engineering and an MSc in Advanced Mechanical Engineering.

What advice I'd give to girls thinking about a career in digital and tech...

Don’t worry about what’s happening around you, what everyone else is doing and what they may think – follow through with what you enjoy and remember that nothing worth achieving has ever come easy!