Kate's fact file

Do you have any A-Levels or other further education qualifications?

Yes, I took a Foundation Year in Engineering (equivalent to an A-level). I also did Biology, Psychology and Theatre Studies at A-Level.

Do you hold any other qualifications?

I have a masters degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering with a Modern Language

What was your favourite subject at school and why?

It was Design & Technology GCSE. As part of the course we were asked to design and produce an advertising stand for our choice of product. In my case, this was a small CD stand, designed to be placed at a checkout point which would attract last minute shoppers when they went to pay.

I enjoyed this subject as it allowed me to think creatively as well being technical thinking. This is something which I continue to enjoy in my current job.

What did you want to be when you were at school?

To be honest, I wasn’t sure!

I always had an interest in engineering as a lot of my family are engineers. Unfortunately, I was not encouraged to pursue this route at school. I had a strong interest in theatrical lighting design and spent much of my spare time designing, rigging and programming lighting for amateur productions. It was this hobby which brought to light (no pun!) my interest in electrical systems and eventually led to my application to take a technical degree.

What does being an electrical engineer involve?

Most buildings need electricity to function; to power the lighting, the sockets outlets and any mechanical systems such as the air conditioning. There are also many less obvious systems such as those which protect us in the event of an emergency, such as the fire alarm system or automatic sprinklers.

An Electrical Engineer in Building Services is responsible for designing these systems. At the very early stages of the project the Engineer needs to decide how to get power to the building, how to get that power to where it is needed, and how much space the electrical equipment will need.

During later stages of the project, the Engineer must make more detailed decisions, such as which light fitting to use and where to place socket outlets so that they are convenient for the building users.

When the building is under construction, the Engineer attends the building site to answer any questions the contractors might have and to make sure the systems he or she has designed are being installed correctly. This is often the most difficult part of the job as there will always be problems to solve; however it is also the most rewarding as you can see the product of your work taking shape.