Engineer a Career

Engineer a Career
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Welcome to The Engineer a Career Podcast, brought to you by Engineer a Career! Join us as we delve into the fascinating journeys of engineers from various fields and backgrounds. Each episode features an in-depth interview with a seasoned professional who share their personal stories, from their initial interest in engineering to their experience in education and beyond! Discover the highs and lows of their careers, the inspirations that fueled their passion, and the mentors and coaches who guided them along the way. Our guests also provide invaluable advice for anyone aspiring to pursue a career in engineering, offering insights that can help you navigate your own path to success. Whether you're a student considering engineering, a recent graduate starting out, or a professional looking to make a change, The Engineer a Career Podcast is your go-to for real-world stories and practical advice to engineer your future.

  1. There Is No Perfect Route into Engineering with Erin Rooney

    6D AGO

    There Is No Perfect Route into Engineering with Erin Rooney

    Erin joins The Engineer a Career Podcast to share her route into engineering and the real story behind it. From being inspired by her dad’s offshore work and travel, to discovering engineering through school subjects like maths and physics, Erin explains how a single opportunity changed everything: a University of Strathclyde summer school for girls that helped her commit to the path early. We also dive into her journey through Glasgow Caledonian University, how she navigated clearing, why she loved control systems, and how internships and part time industry experience shaped her confidence before joining BAE Systems. Along the way, she shares a brilliant comparison of small company learning versus big company structure, plus the value of getting involved with engineering communities like IMechE. If you’re a student, or early career engineer, this episode is packed with practical insight and honest reflection. Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career YouTube: @engineeracareer Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    55 min
  2. This Year 2026 with Josh Robertson

    JAN 27

    This Year 2026 with Josh Robertson

    New year. New colours. Same mission. This is 2026, and this episode is about direction. Engineering doesn’t have a motivation problem or an ambition problem. It has a visibility problem. And this year, that’s the issue that needs to be confronted properly. Too many people who could thrive in engineering still can’t see it clearly enough to move towards it. They see job titles, entry requirements and application portals, but not the projects, the people, the culture, or where they fit. And people can’t be what they can’t see. In this episode, Josh explains why engineering needs less noise and more clarity, consistency and visibility. Why visibility isn’t marketing or campaigns, but repeatable, human exposure to the reality of the work. And why belief is built through consistency, not intensity. Josh talks about why the Engineer a Career rebrand matters, not for aesthetics, but for alignment. Why confidence doesn’t come from having everything figured out, but from seeing enough to believe you could work it out. And why visibility is a system issue, not a recruitment one. If you’re a student, this episode is about exposure, not certainty. If you’re in industry, it’s about responsibility, not reaction. 2026 isn’t about momentum. It’s about making engineering visible early enough, clearly enough and consistently enough to change outcomes. Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career YouTube: @engineeracareer Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    16 min
  3. Conclusions 2025 with Engineer a Career

    12/09/2025

    Conclusions 2025 with Engineer a Career

    2025 was the first full year of Engineer a Career operating with intention. A year shaped not by strategy documents or long-term roadmaps, but by people. Students. Engineers. Educators. Industry.   Hundreds of voices, each revealing something about what engineering really looks and feels like today. It was a year of travelling across the UK, from Aberdeen to Dundee, Edinburgh to Glasgow, and even to Lorient in Brittany. Listening to stories, hosting events, recording conversations and standing in rooms filled with engineering talent who were trying to understand the pathway ahead of them. It was also a year of learning. Twenty-four podcast episodes. Nine events. Over five hundred people connected in person. An ambassador network across eight universities. And a clear message emerging from every direction: engineering talent is ready, but the system around them is not. In this episode, Josh reflects on what Engineer a Career delivered in 2025, what engineers told us about their journeys, what students revealed about their pressures and ambitions, and what industry showed us about the challenges it still faces. From resilience and non-linear routes to visibility gaps, early insight and the reality of graduate recruitment, this episode brings together a year of insight captured across classrooms, campuses, workshops and studios. Conclusions 2025 isn't a summary. It's a story, the story of visibility, human connection, belonging and the simple truth that engineering's future will be shaped by the people who can see the pathway clearly enough to step onto it. This episode is a foundation for what comes next. Watch on YouTube: @engineeracareer Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    43 min
  4. Energy, Creativity And Circular Thinking: Why Engineering Needs Engineers Like Molly Akers

    12/02/2025

    Energy, Creativity And Circular Thinking: Why Engineering Needs Engineers Like Molly Akers

    Molly's journey into engineering didn't begin with a plan. It began in her grandad's garden shed a workshop that quietly sparked her fascination with how things are created. At school she followed her curiosity, leaning into both maths and art, and eventually typing a simple phrase into Google: "engineering and art combined." That search led her to Product Design Engineering at the University of Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art, where hands-on making met technical engineering fundamentals and opened a pathway she never knew existed. Graduating straight into Covid, Molly found herself navigating uncertainty, juggling part-time jobs at IKEA and a design manufacturer while trying to keep her creative and technical skills alive. That persistence led her to the Net Zero Technology Centre in Aberdeen, where she discovered the world of hydrogen, digital technologies and the energy transition. Now a Project Engineer working on government-funded innovation programmes, Molly reflects on learning an entirely new industry from scratch, overcoming imposter syndrome and stepping onto her first major panel at Offshore Europe, something she once thought she'd never be ready for. In this episode, Josh and Molly explore the power of transferable skills, why students shouldn't fear non-linear routes, and how creativity, engineering and net zero technologies intersect in a rapidly changing world. This is a story of adaptability, self-belief and carving a place in the future of sustainable engineering. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@Engineeracareer Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    45 min
  5. From Crisis to Capability – Can Flexible Education Solve the Engineering Skills Gap?

    11/25/2025

    From Crisis to Capability – Can Flexible Education Solve the Engineering Skills Gap?

    Across the UK, employers are struggling to find the engineering talent they need while thousands of young people and mid career professionals are still looking for the right opportunity. We talk about a skills gap, but what if the real problem is how the system is set up to develop and connect talent in the first place. In this special episode, Josh brings the full recording of a live webinar he hosted with The Open University: a panel conversation built around the Open University Business Barometer 2025 and what it reveals about the scale of the challenge. The report is based on responses from more than 2,000 senior decision makers and shines a light on where shortages are being felt most, and where flexible education could unlock new capability. Josh is joined by leaders from industry and academia who are working with this reality every day. They explore why 58 percent of engineering and construction employers are reporting skills shortages, how an ageing workforce and a missing mid career layer are creating pressure, and why so many engineering graduates never actually enter engineering roles. Across the conversation, the panel dig into themes that sit at the heart of Engineer a Career: how we make engineering careers more visible and human how we attract and retain women and under represented groups how flexible routes such as Open University study and apprenticeships can support people already in work, what it really takes for employers to treat learning as a benefit rather than a tick box. This episode goes beyond the headlines. The panel explore mindset versus qualifications, the image problem engineering still carries, the expectations of Gen Z around purpose, culture and development, and the opportunity to widen access for groups who have been overlooked for too long including career changers, returners and those currently not in education, employment or training. If you are an employer trying to build capability, an educator rethinking how to support learners, or a current or future engineer trying to understand where you fit in, this conversation will give you data, examples and ideas you can act on. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@Engineeracareer Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk Featuring :- Josh Robertson, Founder, Engineer a Career Mark Cameron, CEO, The 5% Club Faye Banks, Global Head of Transmission and Distribution, Turner and Townsend Gareth Neighbour, Senior Lecturer in Engineering, The Open University Neil Arlett, Head of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Biffa

    59 min
  6. SOLO EPISODE NO.1 - Why I Started Engineer a Career

    11/18/2025

    SOLO EPISODE NO.1 - Why I Started Engineer a Career

    Why I Started Engineer a Career, What We've Built, and How We Fix the Skills System Gap Starting Engineer a Career was never about creating content. It was about closing a gap I kept seeing everywhere across industry, a gap between the talent we have and the opportunities that never reach them. In this first solo episode, Josh reflects on his own journey: from a chartered mechanical engineer shaped by internships at Doosan Babcock, to building engineering teams on nuclear projects, to working in sustainability at SSE Transmission. He shares how early exposure to real engineering transformed his career, why mentoring young engineers became a natural part of his path, and how those experiences laid the foundations of Engineer a Career. Josh breaks down what's happened since launching the platform: thirty podcast episodes, ten live events, strategic partnerships with AECOM, the University of Strathclyde and the Energy Institute, a national Student Ambassador Network, and the creation of The Talent Network,  now home to more than 170 engineering students. But this episode goes deeper. Josh explains why the UK's "skills gap" is really a system gap: 124,000 engineers needed every year, 44,000 graduating, and too few gaining any real exposure to industry. He shares the stats, the stories, and the reality facing students today, as well as the opportunity engineering has to rethink early engagement. In the mailbox, Josh answers questions from the Engineer a Career community,  from using LinkedIn well, to overcoming imposter syndrome, to what he wishes he'd known at university. This episode is a reflection, a call to action, and a reminder of why this work matters. It's about building confidence, creating visibility, and showing the next generation exactly what they can become. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@Engineeracareer Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    47 min
  7. Becoming a Geotechnical Engineer with Lucy Colleran

    11/11/2025

    Becoming a Geotechnical Engineer with Lucy Colleran

    A fascination with the world beneath our feet sparked Lucy's journey into geology. Encouraged by an inspiring geography teacher, she explored the subject through university taster courses and went on to study at the University of St Andrews, where hands-on fieldwork in Scotland's quarries and landscapes cemented her passion for understanding the ground we build on. After graduating, Lucy discovered how geology meets engineering. She joined Fairhurst as a Graduate Engineering Geologist, where her work took her from Scotland's infrastructure projects to the remote island of St Helena, helping to make communities safer through rockfall mitigation. Now a Chartered Engineer and Senior Geotechnical Engineer at Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions, Lucy reflects on her career so far, from overcoming early challenges to championing women in engineering and mentoring the next generation. In this episode, Josh and Lucy explore what makes engineering geology such a vital part of sustainable construction, why confidence comes through action, and how curiosity can shape a lifelong career in engineering. This is a story of discovery, determination, and how following your interests can quite literally change the ground you stand on. Resources mentioned - The role of engineering geology in delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357755266_The_role_of_engineering_geology_in_delivering_the_United_Nations_Sustainable_Development_Goals   Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@Engineeracareer   Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    58 min
  8. National Engineering Day 2025 with Faye Banks

    11/05/2025

    National Engineering Day 2025 with Faye Banks

    Leaving school with no qualifications could have been the end of Faye's story but it was only the beginning. Starting on a factory floor, she watched engineers fix problems and realised she wanted to be one of them. Determined to change her future, Faye worked days in manufacturing and studied at night, earning nine GCSEs before securing an electrical engineering apprenticeship. Five years later, she had built the foundations of a career that would take her across manufacturing, water, and energy  and ultimately to the Royal Academy of Engineering as a Visiting Professor and Research Committee Member. In this special National Engineering Day episode, Josh and Faye discuss visibility, opportunity, and the power of finding your passion. They explore how apprenticeships, education, and industry must work together to inspire the next generation of engineers and why there's never been a more exciting time to join the profession. This is a story of confidence found through action, of perseverance, and of proving that there's no single route into engineering.   Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@Engineeracareer Follow Engineer a Career LinkedIn: @engineeracareer Instagram: @engineeracareer TikTok: @engineer.a.career Website: www.engineeracareer.co.uk

    39 min
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About

Welcome to The Engineer a Career Podcast, brought to you by Engineer a Career! Join us as we delve into the fascinating journeys of engineers from various fields and backgrounds. Each episode features an in-depth interview with a seasoned professional who share their personal stories, from their initial interest in engineering to their experience in education and beyond! Discover the highs and lows of their careers, the inspirations that fueled their passion, and the mentors and coaches who guided them along the way. Our guests also provide invaluable advice for anyone aspiring to pursue a career in engineering, offering insights that can help you navigate your own path to success. Whether you're a student considering engineering, a recent graduate starting out, or a professional looking to make a change, The Engineer a Career Podcast is your go-to for real-world stories and practical advice to engineer your future.

Information

  • Creator
    Engineer a Career
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Engineer a Career
  • Show Website
    Engineer a Career