Following a career break for childcaring and carer responsibilities, Sarah rekindled her passion for Engineering through the STEM Returners Programme with Babcock. Upon completing the programme, Sarah-Jane secured a permanent position within the team. Fast forward two years, she is excelling in her career as a Project Controller and eagerly anticipates further advancement opportunities.
Read Sarah-Jane’s story here:
“I was brought up in a small village in West Lothian but South Queensferry is now, after many years of moving home, my happy home. It has a proper community which is lovely for raising a family and we’re blessed with some wonderful nature right on our doorstep.
I began my journey into further education as a mature student, age 27, having decided not to return to work after Maternity Leave but instead to pursue a career in Engineering. I started with an HNC at West Lothian College and ended 6 years later with my BEng Engineering with Management, from Edinburgh Napier University. During that time I separated from my, then, long-term partner and moved house more times than I care to remember. In my final year of University, I gave birth to daughter number two, moved home (again!), started my first post-graduate Engineering job and finally finished my degree. In hindsight, I’ve no idea how I achieved all of this – you do what’s required at the time, I guess.
Prior to taking my career break I had two post-graduate jobs, both of which were short term contracts. I worked for a small business doing CAD drawings and moved on to assist with running the office, applying Engineering methodologies to organise the warehouse, planning and executing a shop fit out, managing international logistics and many more ‘whole business’ tasks. I was grateful to have been given the level of autonomy I had, something I would never have been given in a large organisation and as much as it was a challenge, it helped shape me and build resilience. My second role was Change Management, assisting another small business move from Pub / Restaurant, and into the Hotel / B&B sector. I learned new skills but again, used my Engineering tools and mindset, to methodically manage and embed the changes, for the business and the employees. Lean Manufacturing tools are equally as useful in the Hospitality sector!
My career break was for 4 years, 2.5 years of being a carer and 1.5 years being more ‘Mum’. It was unexpected and was the start of a 2.5-year roller coaster, which would again, change the shape of who I was as a person and as a professional. I fell pregnant with twins. We became aware at 20 weeks that I had TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome). This required immediate surgery and I was hospitalised until I was to give birth to the twins at 26 weeks. The risks and probabilities were something we just couldn’t have been prepared for. Both Dad and I had to give up our jobs to care for our two girls and prepare for the twins, if they were coming home, they would require full time care – one parent for one twin.
The years that followed taught me so much, mindfulness was key, it really is the little things that are the big things (health and love!), our NHS are unsung HERO’S! and no matter how highly trained a medical professional is, always trust your intuition and don’t be afraid to question something, or someone, if you feel it’s worthy.
When the twins were ready for nursery – I was ready to remind myself who I was as a professional. I’m sure many parents can relate to having lost their sense of self-worth and their professional identity during early years of parenthood. I wanted to return to Engineering because I’d worked so hard to gain my Degree and I am passionate about the industry; I was determined not to let that go to waste.
Initially I felt there was no hope of getting back into the industry, I was getting nowhere with applying for jobs and for most, I didn’t meet the criteria because of the ask for a minimum number of years’ experience. I know from experience, that being female and having a young family, is not favourable for most employers – I also required a level of flexibility and I was losing hope of ever finding that whilst still pursuing a career that I loved. I felt hopeless, unworthy, I felt I was being unfairly treated for having a young family and with existing barriers for women in Engineering, this was only exacerbated by having four young children. My hope, self-worth, confidence, was at an all-time low and I didn’t see a way out, or through.
Through the Job Centre, I was offered the support of being part of a returners workshop. They worked with a group of professional women and helped us remember what we had to bring to the workplace, helped us get back to feeling worthy, helped us remember how much we’d learned and added to our skill sets during an extended career break to care for others. I was then connected to STEM Returners and this, this was the pivotal moment. I was connected to understanding, supportive, professional people who know what is on offer and know how to match it to the right company. I was connected to Babcock for a Strategic Systems Engineer returners role. STEM Returners kept communications fluid throughout and couldn’t have been more supportive. I had wonderful feedback through STEM Returners, from Babcock and I was offered the role.
Nearly two years on, I have moved up to a Project Controller role and can see further progression ahead. I am a confident, capable, influential team member and STEM Returners played a huge part in that, for which, I will be forever grateful. So much so, that every opportunity I have, I am sharing knowledge of the STEM Returners Programme and encouraging other seniors / influencers within Engineering firms, to jump on the bandwagon….the skills and mindset that comes from having had a career break, is something that isn’t widely available and hugely underrated! Engineering to me, is primarily about the mindset and having had my career break, I now see how that only enhanced that Engineering mindset.
My advice to people returning to their profession after a career break, would be to focus on within, do the inner work. Once you can harness the power that already resides within you, you can use that to get what you want and then the sky is the limit!”
If you would like to register your interest in joining a STEM Returners programme, please visit Returner Registration – STEM Returners or view our current programme opportunities here.