I had heard about the Future Female Engineering event from several fellow female engineers in University who had previously attended. My friend applied and suggested I did too and I am glad I did. The event was really inspiring and empowering to see so many women with similar goals in the industry.
The Application Process
The application process was clear and straightforward. There were several questions and following that a phone interview asking why you want to attend the event and what engineering means to you and what your goals are. Everyone in TARGETJobs is friendly and are honestly just wanting to see you do well. It really helped me feel more comfortable about attending the event and speaking to others.
Day of the Event
I travelled down to Arup’s Headquarters in London from Dundee University which was generously reimbursed. This is great for others that may be put off by the expenses if you live far away. It was unproblematic and I was very excited.
On arrival I got my first professional head shot which can now be used on LinkedIn. Following this was a fun and interactive workshop with the inspiring empowerment coach Kate Taylor, who got us to “Build our own brand”. There were really great tips on how to own your uniqueness, understand your “why”, and find the personal values you live by. This was a welcoming way to start the day and eased any nerves I had.
After this, we had lunch and our first chance at networking with recruiters and other attendees. I enjoyed talking through what values each company looks for within their applicants. Then for the rest of the day we had an interactive team challenge with fellow attendees to show and improve our skills. We had a couple of “how to get hired sessions” with recruiters where we could ask further questions and skills they look for to succeed in application processes. Further networking with current graduates meant we could have down-to-earth conversations about what they enjoy about their roles in the companies, meanwhile panel discussions were being carried out with the senior female engineers in the industry.
Overall, the day was hugely beneficial and very well organised by TARGETJobs. I really enjoyed talking to the graduates and senior engineers about their stories and how they got to where they are. It was reassuring that not two people’s paths are the same. There were many different inspiring stories to be heard, and hopefully one day I will be telling mine.
After the Event
Following the event, I applied to many companies in Civil Engineering who attended the event. I progressed to interview stages and secured a role with AECOM in their Ground Engineering Team in Glasgow. I believe the FFE event helped me with this through building my confidence in myself and my ability to communicate to others, knowing they were once in the same place as me.
TARGETJobs kindly follow up with your progress and offer many more tips and advice for your future applications. The best thing about this event is that it is not just one day. It will continue to provide you with knowledge and advice for you in the future, while providing useful contacts for further roles you may want to apply for. I really recommend this event to other future female engineers and hope you all achieve your goals!
https://targetjobs.co.uk/events/future-female-engineers
