Nicola Aird

"Coordinator - I am a very organised person and often push to get things done on time by making plans. I have good communication skills, this comes from working with the public in my part time job. I like to and I am good at working in a team, this comes from group projects in university and my current job. Influencer - I am good with details and can think outside the box, this is something that naturally comes when studying engineering. Being an engineer involves studying new technology and also being on the look out for new information. I value manners very highly so I am polite to others and am reliable in work and outside of work. Manager - I gained leadership experience from working as a supervisor in my part time job but I naturally fell into this role in university projects. This is because I am good at organising, adaptable to situations, good at encouraging people to speak up and share ideas and listening to them.In the future, I see myself in a leadership role and I am determined to get there!! "

"I design things to create solutions to problems that a client presents to my company. The outcome tends to be a method to help people, countries and the environment. What I enjoy most about my job is that I know the work that I am doing each day helps create a better future for the next generation. Every day is different and this keeps the work interesting and fun! The starting salary for my role is £28,000. This increases when you finish the graduate scheme then increases again if you choose to become chartered. "

"I went from school to university then to a graduate scheme (where I am now). During university, I worked in Primark. I was a weekend retail assistant for 2 years then a weekend supervisor for 3 years. Don’t underestimate the communication and social skills you learn in part time jobs. These skills can show an employer you are able to work in a team, work under pressure and work in a fast paced environment. What inspired me to become an engineer was the desire to make a change and create a better world. I was good at maths and physics in school so I wanted to apply these in a job. Who inspired me to become an engineer was my mum. It is me and her against the world and she always told me I could do anything I dreamed of, so I did! "

"What I like to do in my spare time is workout, go for long walks and hang out with my friends (big group of girls who all work in STEM).I like travelling and going on holidays to different places each year. I also love cars and like learning about them!! "

"My typical day starts with replying to emails then attending project team meetings with other mechanical engineers and sometimes the entire project team to discuss what we are going to do for the day/week and what we need to do for our client.This work involves contacting suppliers, brainstorming ideas in teams to decide how we are going to create a solution for client. After we decide on the idea, the idea is put into the computer to create a 3D model and we see it come to life!! We then all help each to write a report about the idea and then we tell the client about this.I spend half my day at a computer and half in meetings.All the work I do is within a team, however, there are opportunities to work independently to expand your skill set."

"In school, I studied Scottish Highers in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Business Management and English and Advanced Highers in Maths, Physics and Business Management. After this, I graduated with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.During my final year in University, I applied for about 20 graduate schemes and went to 3 assessment centres which are group interviews. I got an offer from a graduate scheme and accepted it and that’s where I am now! "