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Hannah Speed

Assistant Engineer at Amey

STEM Ambassador Happy to be contacted by school
I enjoy problem solving and improving efficiency using technology.
Hannah is a...

Coordinator

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Developer

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Trainer

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About Hannah...

Who am I?

"I used to be a teacher so I think co-ordinator and trainer are pretty accurate descriptions! And definitely the developer - I love getting stuck in with problem solving. I like the initial options stage of a project, where you can be really creative thinking of solutions, and getting stuck in with calculations and software to find the final answers."

What do I do?

"I'm usually working on design and maintenance of highway structures like bridges. I review existing information, use AutoCAD to draw structures, undertake calculations on excel and model performance on various software packages. I sometimes visit structures or sites in my Hi-Vis PPE and this involves assessing risks.I enjoy problem solving and improving efficiency using technology. I also enjoy finding ways to make the world a better place in a sustainable way.The starting salary for the graduate scheme is around £26,500."

How did I get here?

"I took A-levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. I studied Civil and Structural Engineering at University of Sheffield. I spent 3 years teaching secondary science before starting a graduate programme in civil engineering at Amey."

The life I live

"I have a young son and love spending time with him. Since he was born, I've started volunteering at a local sling library and taken on a local nappy library (give it a google if you're not sure what these are!).I spend time out in the Peak District as often as I can - it's great for climbing. I often cycle to work.I get involved in STEM activities including EDT summer schools and university activities to help inspire people to follow a career path into engineering."

My typical day

"I'm currently working on designing some repairs to a bridge near Manchester which supports the M60. Mostly this includes reviewing other people's inspections, and the initial drawing, to make a model to try replicate the current situation. This uses different software packages and specifications such as Eurocodes. Once I've come up with a design and done some calculations, I sketch up the design in AutoCAD and ask my colleagues to review my work."

My qualifications

"Maths, Physics, Chemistry A-levelMEng Civil and Structural EngineeringPGCE in secondary scienceTeaching in secondary schools including physics at a-level and vocational engineering qualificationsGraduate Scheme at AmeyWorking towards CEng with the Institute of Civil Engineers"