Elena’s shaping the future of engineering and it’s going swimmingly

Having completed a degree in fine art, Elena Brake went on to pursue a career in art and education, or at least, that was the plan. As she delved into the world of large-scale installation work, she soon realised that she lacked the knowledge of science that was often needed for a project to take off. Recognising that her creative skill set might better suit the engineering industry, Elena returned to university: a decision that would have a profound impact on her future in more ways than one. 

Elena first came across RSK Group company Fishtek after Principal Civil Engineer Mike Davies was assigned as her mentor through the Tamar Engineering Project scholarship. Delivered by the University of Plymouth, where Elena is studying mechanical engineering, the scholarship is designed to offer ongoing support for people who have had barriers to their education while showing high academic potential. 

“I was awarded the scholarship shortly after starting my degree back in 2022. Early on in my mentoring sessions, I expressed my desire to build up engineering experience for my CV. Mike facilitated an engineering site visit with some of the Fishtek team, which was a fantastic experience and provided valuable insights and opportunities for learning. 

“After that, I was invited back as an intern during the Easter and summer holidays. I undertook in-depth design work in the office, which I loved. You can imagine my delight when I was then offered a part-time position as a trainee engineer to fit alongside my studies.” 

The first project Elena worked on with Fishtek was the creation of a tool that could calculate energy loss in pipe systems. This involved taking the formulas and working out ways to create a versatile tool that could be used to make calculations on future projects. 

“I am particularly proud to see the tool that I developed in use. As my knowledge and understanding grow, I’ve had significant input on larger projects, such as large eel screening projects, which I have now been involved in at the design stage and the construction phase. Recently, I’ve been getting involved in the early stages of optioneering for a water-source heat pump project – I’m excited to see it progress.” 

Elena has been studying part-time to pay for her degree in smaller instalments. However, the team at Fishtek was so impressed with Elena and her contribution to the business that they decided to sponsor her. 

“Unfortunately, with this not being my first degree, I am not eligible for student finance. Although I could just about manage the course payments, it had been a real struggle. Finding out Fishtek was going to sponsor me came as a huge surprise. 

“When my supervisor mentioned he had some good news for me, I thought it was going to be about one of the projects we’d been working on. I was genuinely speechless when I received the news, but extremely grateful. 

“The sponsorship has taken a big financial weight off my shoulders and has allowed me to properly focus on my studies and my work. It’s great knowing that my colleagues are fully supportive of me too.” 

At the beginning of her journey in engineering, Elena wanted to keep an open mind as to where her career would take her; however, she did know that she wanted to help people and the environment. 

“Thanks to the broad range of experience I’ve had at Fishtek, I have already learned so much about the environmental problems we face in our rivers and reservoirs and the ways that we can overcome them. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that through my work, I’ve already made an impact, and I look forward to continuing to do so.” 

It’s no surprise given all Elena has achieved so far that she has big goals for the future. As well as wanting to do well academically, she hopes to become an advocate for sector diversity. 

“I have a strong interest in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and would like to make a difference in this area during my career. I’ve joined the EDI group at RSK and I volunteer as a student co-chair for the EDI committee at university too. 

“It’s particularly important to me as a woman in engineering and as someone who has a physical disability, both of which could have the potential to stop people from even considering a career in engineering. I want to inspire others by showing them that engineering can be an accessible and inclusive field to work in. I would love to help diversify the engineering workforce by sharing my story. 

“My focus at the moment is maintaining my good grades at university while making a positive and useful contribution at work. I feel that I am in a really good position to achieve both and I still make time for my art, which is now often inspired by the things I learn at university.”