I enjoy being more involved in the strategic decisions behind science and not being in the lab 24/7. I started looking for other roles and that brought me to NPL and I’m doing the perfect combination of what I wanted from the beginning.
As a woman in engineering I have always struggled with some imposter syndrome, and it took quite a lot of reflection to understand exactly what I want to do and motivations behind my feelings. For example, when I realised that I didn’t want to be in the lab 24/7 I felt like I was failing as a scientist and as an engineer, but eventually I realised this wasn’t the case and I needed to follow what I was interested in.
If anyone is in a similar situation to me, I’d recommend taking some time to actually think about what it is you want to do. Where do you envision yourself? This also isn’t a one off, reanalyse every couple of years!
I decided that I needed to take a career break to support a child with additional needs. During this time, I gained a lot of interest in accessibility and ensuring my work reflected people’s needs.
After my career break, I found it a lot harder to get into the type of work I wanted to focus on than expected.
My career break was a barrier for me as I work in a competitive industry and sometimes struggled to get interviews for the roles I wanted. This really knocked my confidence and imposter syndrome set in. You start to think that you’re not as good as you could be. But then you get that role you’ve been after and fall into it smoothly.
Read the policies, educate yourself. Be as honest about your situation as possible. Good communication is key.
If you have a good understanding with your employer, where adjustments can be made and there is room for flexibility, you can manage working with caring responsibilities.
In my current role, I partner with department heads across the various directorates in the organisation to develop the financial plan and long-term strategy of the organisation. I work with them to estimate the financial impact of agreed strategic plans, identify potential business constraints and forecast the impact of business decisions on future years performance.
One barrier into the industry I would highlight is certification – it can create a ceiling for some people in the industry. The need for a certain certification before you can advance can be challenging for those who struggle with exams.
I sat down and considered all my strengths and what I would like to do on a day-to-day basis.
I have learned throughout my career that somethings take time, so I encourage people to be patient with themselves.
My manager at a previous company said to me “trust the process and trust the people around you.” I would echo that advice.
After college, I went straight into an apprenticeship. I knew I’d be completely out of my depth in university. That apprenticeship was working in a brand team, and so I started to learn the marketing ropes. Now I am in charge of NPL’s social media accounts and marketing emails. 
Aside from my mental health, and this all plays into it, I have to deal with facial paralysis – a condition not well known to the world and yet, in most cases, it’s so obvious to other people. It adds a whole world of worries to face-to-face interaction.
Mental Health First Aiders was a concept that I could only have dreamed of in my first job!
You’re not a burden. That rational voice is there, but sometimes it just needs someone else’s help to speak up. If you’re dealing with any kind of visible difference, there are organisations out there that can help.
After finishing my masters in mathematics and statistics in 2015 in France, I decided to pursue a PhD in Germany. I saw this as both a professional and personal opportunity. It was a chance to discover myself away from the constraint of family and feeling less constraint by social expectations.
Over the last year or so my career at NPL has allowed me to take on more responsibilities. For example, participating in recruitment but also being involved in the LGBTQ+ network and D&I taskforce.
Being a foreign worker has its own challenges. At times, struggling to see friends and family makes me feel uprooted and fear not being there for them in moments that matter.
As I realised that I’m not cisgendered or heterosexual, I thought that there is no way I can ever be myself at work, and my family might not accept me. Being conscious of whether you would ever be yourself at work is a real drain.
You’re not alone. Go and speak to people who love you and open up about your struggle. Never discard the need for time off if your mental health requires it.
