Wafa Ansari

I feel the three personality types – Influencer, Quality Controller and Coach – reflect different but equally important parts of my personality and the way I approach my work. As an Influencer, I enjoy connecting with people, communicating ideas and encouraging others to believe in what they are capable of. I’m naturally curious, creative and proactive, and I enjoy challenging the way things have always been done. This is particularly important in my work in STEM, where I enjoy inspiring and engaging people from a wide range of backgrounds and helping them see opportunities they may not have considered. As a Quality Controller, I am thorough, reliable and detail-oriented. I like finding and reviewing information, managing risk and making sure that what I deliver is accurate and to a high standard. I take pride in being trustworthy, fair, honest and ethical, and I’m comfortable working independently while also contributing effectively as part of a team. As a Coach, I feel my strongest qualities are being a good listener, understanding what people need and explaining things in a way that makes sense to them. I’m compassionate, approachable and enjoy helping others solve problems and develop their confidence. I believe these qualities allow me to build strong relationships and support people in reaching their potential. Overall, I think these three personality types complement each other well: I can inspire people, make sure things are done well, and support others to grow.

I am a Project Engineer at Opus International Products, where I lead and deliver engineering projects for a range of automotive clients, including JLR, McLaren, Aston Martin, Lotus and Gordon Murray. My role involves managing projects from understanding the initial requirements through to planning, coordinating different teams, solving technical challenges and ensuring projects are delivered to the required quality, timescale and budget. The outcome of my work is delivering successful engineering solutions that meet client requirements while balancing technical, commercial and practical considerations. I work with a wide range of people and teams, which has helped me develop strong communication, problem-solving and project management skills. What I enjoy most is the variety and challenge of my work. No two projects are the same, and I enjoy taking a complex problem, understanding what is needed, bringing people together and finding a solution that works. I particularly enjoy seeing an idea progress from a concept into something tangible and knowing that my work has contributed to making it happen.

My journey into STEM began with a curiosity about how things work and a passion for understanding how complex systems come together. This led me to study Aerospace Engineering, completing both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. After graduating, I started my career at Rolls-Royce as a Systems Engineer, working on aircraft engine systems. This was an incredible opportunity to develop my technical knowledge, problem-solving skills and ability to work on complex engineering projects. It also taught me the importance of attention to detail, collaboration and understanding how different engineering disciplines come together to deliver a successful product. As my career developed, I became interested in exploring a different side of engineering and decided to make the move from aerospace into the automotive industry. I wanted to challenge myself, broaden my experience and apply the skills I had developed in aerospace to a new environment. I am now a Project Engineer at Opus International Products, where I lead and deliver projects for clients including JLR, McLaren, Aston Martin, Lotus and Gordon Murray. Moving between two very different industries has shown me just how transferable STEM skills can be and how many different career paths are available within engineering. What I love most about STEM is that it combines technical knowledge, creativity and problem-solving. There is always something new to learn and a new challenge to tackle. My journey has also shown me that your first career choice does not have to define your entire career – STEM gives you the flexibility to learn, evolve and take your skills in completely new directions. This is something I hope to demonstrate as a role model: you don't need to have your entire career mapped out from the beginning. Be curious, take opportunities, and don't be afraid to change direction when you discover something new that excites you.

Outside of work, I love travelling and creating travel content on Instagram. I enjoy exploring new places, experiencing different cultures and turning those experiences into content that I can share with others. It’s a creative side of me that is quite different from my engineering work! I also really enjoy getting involved in STEM outreach events, where I get to meet and inspire young people and show them how exciting and varied a career in STEM can be. I love seeing the curiosity and excitement that comes
from introducing someone to engineering for the first time. And when I’m not travelling or doing STEM outreach, you’ll probably find me watching Formula 1! My background in aerospace engineering and my current career in automotive make F1 a particularly interesting sport for me because I love seeing the engineering, technology and teamwork behind the cars. Something the girls might find interesting about me is that I have both a technical and creative side. I’m an engineer who loves complex technical problems, but I also love creating content, travelling and telling stories – and I think that’s a great example of how you don’t have to fit into just one box when you build a career in STEM.

A typical day for me starts with checking my emails and reviewing my priorities for the day. I then spend time updating clients on the progress of their projects, answering questions and making sure everyone is aligned on the next steps. A big part of my role is liaising with suppliers to make sure components and materials are delivered on time and that any issues are resolved quickly. I also work closely with our quality control and production teams to make sure everything meets the required standards and
stays on track. No two days are exactly the same. I might spend part of the day investigating and solving a technical issue, reviewing engineering information or making decisions to keep a project moving forward. I can also be in meetings with clients, suppliers or internal teams to discuss progress and solve problems. The bigger picture is to take a project from its requirements through to a successful delivery. My goal is to make sure we deliver the right solution, to the right quality, on time and in line with what the client needs. What I enjoy about this is that my day isn't just sitting at a computer doing one task. I get to work with different people, solve problems, make decisions and see the results of the work we’ve done come to life.

BEng Aerospace Engineering MSc. Aeronautical Engineering