INWED 2024 Eugenia

We are pleased to present you to Eugenia, our Senior Design Engineer who works for the housing team, as we commemorate International Women in Engineering Day, a celebration of the outstanding contributions women make to the engineering field.

This day encourages the next generation and honours all accomplishments.

Join us as we hear Eugenia’s story as she discusses who encouraged her to pursue a career in engineering, what she enjoys about her job on a daily basis, and her future goals.

Can you tell us about a key project you’ve worked on and its impact?

When I first started at Van Elle, fresh out of university we took on a 10-year job in Kew, Southport, and just now we are coming to the end of this project. I feel lucky to have been able to watch the whole job processed, help on final plans and watch every step of the way.

I have overseen each aspect of the job and finally seeing it come to an end fills me with a great sense of pride for the team’s work.

What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?

From a young age I found a love in numbers and enjoyed physics at school, going on to complete further studies in physics, I found a love for drawing so naturally I gravitated towards the engineering industry as it was a place I was able to practice my passions.

The first time I fell in love with the industry was when I saw how I can see my drawings come to life on the ground as a foundation, its an interesting and incredibly rewarding career.

I was able to truly combine my love for maths, physics and drawings in everyday life.

What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

From spending my early life in Spain to moving to the UK to work, a language barrier became a swift challenge for me within my new roles, having to understand the terms of the industry in another language that wasn’t my first and work through knocking barriers down with my colleagues and clients was a challenge for a while.

Additionally, being a woman in engineering has offered me its fair share of challenge, fighting the idea that I’m not as capable as male colleagues or managing clients who compare my ability to men’s. This challenge has allowed me to grow to the strong woman I am and inspired me to show just how skilled I am in my field.

What are your future goals in your engineering career?

First and foremost, I love my job. I always aspire to continue that same passion and desire I have for my roles throughout my career, whilst pursuing career developments however they may look.

A goal I have for the near future is to master the design of piling techniques so I can manage a project that requires multiple techniques without requiring the support of another colleague.

Can you describe a typical day in your life as an engineer?

My job consists of developing the design and calculations for our Precast Ground Beam Smartfoot. Starting from getting in touch with the client to do the designs and to help our contract Team with any issue that can occur on site.

The beauty of my role is that no day will ever be the same, new challenges and new achievements are rising each day.

Who has inspired you the most in your career?

My manager, Chris Bosworth, our Technical Director for the housing department has supported me through my every step of my journey.

I joined Van Elle as my first job after completing university and Chris has offered me support in everything I need, coaching me through challenges, mentoring me to new skills and always offering support no matter how many times I ask.

How do you mentor the next generation of engineers?

A wish for mine is that women in the engineering industry believed that they can be inspiring, believing in yourself is the most powerful possession you have.

Allow yourself to demonstrate how capable you are. It can be an intimidating feeling to walk into an office dominated by men, but the feeling of achievement is better than any fear of failure.