Engineer shares passion with JCG students to break down barriers

Tuesday 26 November 2019

A former JCG student turned engineer, who now works for Jaguar Land Rover has recently returned to the school to speak to current students to show them, “what an engineer looks like,” in a bid to break down barriers within the industry.

Amena Hasan left Jersey College for Girls (JCG) in 2011 and went on to study for a Master’s Degree in mechanical engineering at Cardiff University. She is now a Business Transformation Engineer for Jaguar Land Rover.

Last week, she returned to her former school to speak to four classes about her career.

She told Express that she had always enjoyed maths at school, which prompted her to consider engineering studies. It wasn’t until her final year, however, that she discovered an interest in the automotive industry.

Pictured: Amena left JCG in 2011

Amena admits that while she has always loved “putting things apart and putting them back together” she had never thought of such a career until she took part in Formula Student, an annual engineering competition during which students are invited to build a race car, and race it.

“It sparked an interest in the automotive industry,” she said.

After this, Amena joined Ricardo, an engineering, environmental and strategic consultancy, where she worked as STEM Manager.

She now works as a Business Manager for Powertrain at Jaguar Land Rover. “The power train consists of the engine, the battery… It’s what makes a car go forward. I make sure the car is safe to drive,” Amena explained.

“It’s really nice to see people driving the cars you have worked on. It’s really rewarding. I am really happy with what I am doing.”

Pictured: Amena has been going to schools to encourage more people, especially girls, to pursue careers in engineering.

Amena says she was quite lucky to have a “really good support system” that encouraged her to pursue her interest in engineering. This included her teacher and parents who encouraged her to “do what you want to do”.

Since working at Ricardo, she has been visiting schools to convince young people to join the industry. While engineering remains a “male dominated” industry, Amena is determined to change the trend. “We can change that,” she said, adding that she had made it a personal mission to “bring more women into the industry.”

“When I was graduating university, 10 years ago, there were 10 girls and about 90 boys,” she explained. “There were only two or three girls left at the end. Now they are about 15 or 20, so the numbers have increased. We must continue to break down the barriers.

“It’s not saying that women are better than boys, it’s about showing that they are equally good at engineering. There is the stereotype that engineers are men but we are breaking down that barrier.”

Pictured: Amena asked the girls to draw what they thought an engineer looks like.

During her talk, Amena also asked JCG students to draw an engineer. “It was amazing to see one of the first things that comes to their mind,” she said. Among the results were boys, men but also Amena’s own likeness in a blue dress like she wore the day of her presentation. “I was very emotional,” she said.

The goal of the exercise was to show the girls that anyone can be an engineer if they want to. A Youtuber specialising in make-up tutorials and a candidate for Miss Universe GB, Amena certainly does not fit the classic stereotype of an engineer.

Ultimately though, the young woman said she is keen to everyone to do “whatever they want to do,” especially “something you love.”

The students Amena spoke to enjoyed her talk, with one describing it as "brilliant" and saying she wished she could do it again next week. Others said it helped them realise that "engineers solve problems" and that anyone can be one.

Adam Sykes, Head of Physics, at JCG, was also delighted with Amena's visit. "She is such an amazing example of someone who loves her job and is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm with others," he said.

"Amena was a staunch advocate for getting work experience while at school, college and university. She has experience a wide range of industries including dentistry, marketing and engineering. At each stage she learns as much as she can, asks questions and brings out the best in her colleagues. I’m so proud that Amena spoke with encouragement and delight, and I know our students felt the same.
 
"It really was an inspirational morning."