SARAH’S STEM CAREER IN ENGINEERING AT WORKPLACE ALLIANCE

WOMEN IN STEM: Sarah is loving her Engineering Career

“I love working out how stuff works; it’s just so enjoyable.” Workplace Alliance’s Sarah Carty doesn’t see herself as a trailblazer or even a woman making a name for herself in what has been traditionally a man’s world. She is part of the team, a team she enjoys working with.

Originally a pastry chef by trade, Sarah decided on a career change which saw her enter a five-year apprenticeship and undertake a Certificate IV qualification, taking in subjects including Higher Engineering, Machinery, Electrical and Fitting.

“I wanted to work in a physical environment where I used my hands and got to see how industrial stuff works, but I wasn’t quite sure exactly where and how.” Sarah explains, “So this apprenticeship and training was the ideal fit for me.”

Sarah, with her partner, now spends their year between Geelong and Yowah in Queensland, where they bought a property with an Opal mining lease attached.

Sarah loves coming back to Geelong to work on “shuts” with the Workplace Alliance team. “Wayne (Wayne Allan, Workplace Alliance Managing Director) has been extremely flexible and supportive of my twin life, although I suspect he would love to have me down here full time.

How does Sarah manage working in an industrial environment? “Even though I have less physical strength than my male counterparts, I use my smarts. I find ways to make up for my limited strength; for example, I am mastering the art of leverage to lift items I couldn’t lift by hand. Also, my workmates are great; they are so helpful and encouraging,” Sarah explains.

Sarah’s advice for any girls looking to enter a STEM career. “Don’t be afraid to have a go; if you are passionate, don’t feel intimidated. You will gain amazing, transferable skills across many sectors, and you will also take home many of them. I love building and fixing stuff at home; it gives me great independence and confidence. It sets you up for life.”

Wayne Allan says that having Sarah and other women on the team adds great variety and balance to our workplace. “We encourage and welcome any women who want to work in this field, and we are working hard with a number of STEM-based organisations to encourage more girls to enter our industry direct from school,” Wayne says.

Sarah is one of a number of women who are an integral part of the team at Workplace Alliance.

For more information on a STEM career, click here or contact Wayne at Workplace Alliance.

Photo – Sarah in action (Photo courtesy of The Geelong Advertiser)