"Engineering found me and I haven't looked back since"

Sophie Sibley used to think that being an engineer meant fixing boats or tanks but went on to discover that nothing could be further from the truth.

Growing up, Sophie – senior engineer at Synergie Environ, part of RSK Group company PD&MS Group – loved science and maths, but her preconception of engineering meant it wasn’t a career she was drawn to. However, after studying environmental sciences at university, she started working part-time at an engineering company. It wasn’t long before the head of the design department discovered Sophie’s love of problem-solving and she was offered a role as a data analyst.

Passionate about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Sophie believes the conversation around the subjects needs to develop to break down preconceptions (such as the ones she had) and to encourage people to consider a career in one of the four fields.

“The model of how these subjects are taught doesn’t work for everyone, and this was certainly the case for me. When I was at school, I was left behind studying maths until I found the right learning style and then I fell in love with the subject. Changing the parameters from ‘failure or success’ to a growth mindset might help remove fears young people have when determining whether or not to study STEM subjects.”

Throughout her career, Sophie has benefited from shared knowledge and explained that the love engineers have for what they do means they are keen to help people learn. For Sophie, this was especially useful, as she entered the industry without a background in engineering and felt behind compared to her graduate colleagues.

“It could have been a big stumbling block for my career progression, but my colleagues helped me along the way and shared examples of previous work, which was incredibly useful. I wouldn’t be where I am without the support I’ve been shown, so I endeavour to do the same for people when they ask me for help.”

Aware that there aren’t as many women in the industry as men, Sophie hopes to become a senior leader so that she can impart kindness and knowledge to people looking to pursue a career in engineering: “As a senior leader, I would work to create a safe space for people from under-represented backgrounds and open discussions with experts to see how we can get more people into the industry.

“Sometimes as a young graduate, it feels like you need to know everything, otherwise people will think you’re not good enough. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but what I have noticed, and what I feel, is that a want to learn and a keenness for the work go a long way. Saying ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find out’ isn’t a bad thing, and if you come back with an answer, it shows perseverance, and for me, that is what this industry and solving climate change are all about.”