Inspiring careers: interview with Aisha Mistry on Engineering
Welcome to the Launch of Our Inspiring Careers Series! 🌟
Join us as we kick off an exciting journey, celebrating the incredible stories of Asian women from diverse industries! In this series, we will dive deep into their career paths, uncovering the challenges they've faced, the victories they've achieved, and the invaluable advice they've gathered along the way. Get ready to be inspired, motivated, and equipped with tips that can elevate your own career journey!
In our first edition, we’re thrilled to feature Aisha Mistry, a British Asian Manufacturing Engineer Project Lead balancing a young family. With a degree in Product Design Engineering, Aisha shares her unique journey in the STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) —a space often dominated by white males. Join us as we explore her experiences, challenges, and triumphs in breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations!
Hi Aisha, why did you choose to work as an engineer?
I had always planned on working as a product designer as I am creative and enjoy the challenge of solving a problem through design. Having the freedom to reinvent products, discover how they work and try to improve them always interested me. However, after university I found that my qualifications in maths, science and my degree were most applicable to engineering. I also discovered that I enjoyed the engineering subjects most during my final year of uni, so I applied for post-graduate jobs in engineering. I really enjoy the range of tasks and problem-solving skills required to work in a manufacturing facility, and I have worked in several roles throughout my seventeen year career as an Engineer. I am now leading technical projects which allow me to apply all the skills and knowledge that I have developed, whilst developing new skills in management.
Could you describe what your role entails and what a typical day looks like for you?
My current role is a Technical Project Lead within the Manufacturing Engineering department at Rolls-Royce. I work at one of their factories in the North East which manufactures turbine discs for engines. These engines are assembled onto civil aircraft, defence aircraft, marine vessels and power generation. As a Manufacturing Engineer I am responsible for creating and controlling the manufacturing process on the machines and other process, ensuring that we maintain the highest quality of the product and manage all of the supporting information. For example, this includes CNC programming, CAD drawings, testing and validation and quality control. My current role is to manage key projects that will improve the manufacturing process and deliver benefits to the company. I liaise with lots of departments and other engineers to lead the project and ensure that the solution is delivered in the right time and within budget.
What skills do you think are important for this job?
The key skills for an engineer are problem solving, maths and interpersonal skills. Working together with other engineers and colleagues is essential to this type of role so it’s important to be a team player and communicate well. Having high integrity is also very important, as the Engineer maintains control of the process and the product, ensuring that no uncontrolled changes are made that could have a negative impact once that product is in use. Having a keen interest in how things work and how to make them better will always lead to more enjoyment from working as an Engineer! Applying analytical skills will help understand the technical problem, but adding creativeness and collaboration can help to provide solutions that bring a great sense of achievement and pride in our work.
How has your experience been working in an industry with limited representation of Asian women?
I have always been a minority during my career, not only due to being Asian but also by studying and working in a male dominated subject. However, it has not really affected me as I have been used to it since I was eighteen, and always have a great working relationship with my male colleagues. It is important to have a good sense of humour and be brave to represent yourself when working in a dominating group. I have built my confidence over time, and as I got to know my colleagues, I felt less intimated and nervous. I soon learnt that it was the same for most women, so being Asian wasn’t a factor in how I felt and I grew up with the expectation of looking different to others as none of my female friends or family were interested in engineering.
Do you think this lack of representation affects your feelings about career progression and opportunities within your workplace?
I have had more ‘imposter syndrome’ from being a female engineer, especially having completed a different degree which had design subjects included and not 100% mechanical engineering. I probably held myself back for some years as I was nervous about being the first woman at my workplace to take maternity leave, so there wasn’t anyone to compare experiences with or ask for advice. After having a year off work for each child I was uncertain about my role and position within the team, but I was supported by my managers and have progressed well since, so I now advise others to not worry about building a family and working on their career simultaneously. Post COVID, there is also more flexibility to help families.
The executive leadership team has always been predominantly white males, but our managers have recognised the lack of diversity in leadership positions and have engaged in more diversity & inclusion initiatives, such as WISE (Women in Science & Engineering). I am heavily involved in this and lead a lot of WISE and STEM events to raise awareness and support future generations.
What steps do you think our community can take to better support Asian women in pursuing representation in STEM and in leadership roles?
I think we can raise more awareness in schools of the wide range of engineering jobs available and what the roles and responsibilities entail. This can be done by promoting STEM activities at home, allowing girls to join engineering and STEM clubs at school and also by supporting them to network with engineers, even if they are male etc, in order to make an informed opinion. They could also look for work experience to understand the industry better, and our community can understand apprenticeships are a very good option for career development and qualifications, not just the traditional route of university.
In terms of leadership positions, I would recommend that Asian women take pride in their work and themselves, and gain confidence and strength from each other by networking, mentoring and supporting each other. There will always be options for studying and qualifications, but understanding how to manage people and present your viewpoint effectively is a skill that can’t be taught, you have to be open minded and tactile.
What advice would you give to Asian women who might be considering working in this industry?
My advice would be to look at opportunities for open days or work experience so that you see the ‘real-life’ working environment and meet the type of people that you would work with. Also look for job opportunities, but refrain from putting yourself in an ‘imposter syndrome’ situation where you self-doubt due to being Asian or female. If you don’t meet the full criteria on a job description but think you are well suited to the role, take the chance to apply and accept that you have other qualities to offer that are not listed.
If you are able to attend career fairs or open days, talk to the current employees and ask for details of the person who could arrange a visit or interview. Follow groups such as WISE or pages on social media and LinkedIn for the latest news on events, articles and career development opportunities. Also if there are opportunities to volunteer with STEM events then this can help conversations during interviews.
How do you balance the demands of raising a young family while managing work responsibilities?
In all honesty, it is chaos trying to balance work, kids, schooling and their activities and then also make time for the things I enjoy, such as, exercise, socialising and spending quality time with family. I can imagine it is the same for all working mothers. A good routine does help but we find each week is different, so some things will have to be sacrificed, which can be frustrating but we manage well and support each other to reduce the pressure during demanding times at work.
It does help that I have a flexible working agreement at work that allows me to start work early and finish in time to pick my children up from school. However, I do often work additional hours once they are asleep which can be tiring but worth the sense of achievement I get from delivering my work, and being able to spend time with my family. I am fortunate that I have help from parents when I need to attend important work events which is really helpful. The engineering industry is suitable for people from any background, there is a lot of focus on diversity and inclusion so there is no better time to take the step! I am grateful that I did, and I’m proud of my achievements and excited for the future!
Here are some useful links if you would like to find out more about opportunities for working in STEM: