Women in Engineering - Tennessee Renvoize

My current role at Chemring is as a Graduate Engineer for Roke. The job title ‘engineer’ has encompassed more than just technical work, as I’ve also had the opportunity to work in the Innovation area and in Horizon Scanning. Currently, I’m on a project that involves software engineering and getting to grips with a whole new technology stack I’ve never used before, which is scary but exciting!

What attracted you to a career in engineering?

“It’s always in motion and you don’t have to pigeonhole yourself immediately. New technology is evolving all the time and I want to be a part of driving that. I spent a lot of time at university involved in computer ethics and law modules, and they really sparked my interest, particularly in information assurance and security within technology.”

What qualifications do you have and what was the gender diversity like on your course(s)?

“I was actually home educated for the first 17 years of my life, and then graduated in 2020 with a First-Class degree in Computer Science (BSc) from De Montfort University. I loved the course, but the gender diversity was quite poor. I was studying alongside only a handful of women, which felt deeply isolating and sad at times. I think that experience motivated me to want to push for gender diversity in the STEM field after graduating. I worked as a representative for my course at open days and spent a lot of time meeting with course leaders to dig down into what was causing these gender diversity issues and how they could be addressed. I hope that in getting my foot in the door as a graduate engineer, I can hold the door open for more diverse hiring to follow me.”

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

“When I can see a piece of work is well received or I can see my contribution has had a positive impact on a project. I’ve also taken up a co-chair position for the Women in Roke employee group and I’ve found that involvement extremely rewarding too.”

What's your proudest career moment so far?

“The proudest career moment was being offered the job! I felt like I was finally getting into the field I wanted to be in, and like I’d overcome one of those ‘not good enough’ brain gremlins that were holding me back.”

Do you have any words of advice for other women considering a career in engineering?

My advice to other women considering a career in engineering would be to keep pushing yourself. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you’re not good enough to be an engineer, that you don’t dress like an engineer, or sound like an engineer should. Don’t compare yourself to that guy at university who started coding in his bedroom when he was 12 for fun. Your interest and your path and journey are just as valid and worthy. You can do what you want, and you deserve a space.”