Bringing together alumnae working in defence engineering, architecture and fire safety engineering, the discussion highlighted the breadth of opportunities available and the importance of staying curious, adaptable and open to unexpected paths.

The panel featured Sarah Holt (Waghorn, DH 2003), a Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force; Cong Ding (DH 2015), an architect and exhibition designer at Peter Cook Studio; and Alina Erkulova (DH 2020), a fire engineer working at the forefront of building safety.

No such thing as a typical day

Our panel highlighted the remarkable breadth of opportunities available across engineering and design, with all three describing careers where no two days are ever quite the same.

For Sarah, who currently oversees airworthiness and engineering operations across the Air Mobility fleets, each day brings new challenges as she and her team respond to dynamic defence needs. Her work combines technical expertise, leadership and problem-solving, "The reason I joined the Royal Air Force is because there probably aren't typical days."

Similarly, Cong explained that while architecture obviously involves a lot of design, much of her role also involves collaboration. Working across international exhibitions, she regularly liaises with museums, contractors and clients, balancing creativity with project management and delivery.

For Alina, fire engineering is a profession many people have never heard of. Her role involves working alongside architects and fire services to ensure buildings are safe, practical and compliant, "The thing that surprises people most about my job is the existence of my job."

Career highlights

Reflecting on their careers so far, each speaker shared pivotal moments in their professional journeys.

Sarah spoke about leading engineering operations for an RAF Typhoon squadron, supporting deployments across the Middle East, the Baltics and beyond, while navigating the additional challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cong highlighted the creation of the Play Pavilion, an imaginative collaboration with the LEGO Group and Serpentine Galleries. Seeing visitors engage with and reinterpret the space in unexpected ways was a powerful reminder of architecture's ability to shape experiences, "I like to see people use the space that I make, but I don't want to make it too deterministic."

For Alina, one of the most rewarding aspects of her work is seeing completed buildings she has helped make safer. She also celebrated receiving the SFPE UK ‘Up & Coming’ Fire Engineer award and recently helped organise the SFPE UK's first dedicated fire engineering conference.

Women in engineering

All three panellists reflected positively on their experiences as women working in fields that have traditionally been male dominated.

Sarah has found the RAF to be a supportive and diverse environment, where women are increasingly common in engineering roles and respected for their expertise and leadership.

Cong observed that many of the projects she has worked on have been led by female engineers, reflecting the growing prominence of women within the profession.

Alina explained that her civil engineering cohort at the University of Edinburgh was the first in the institution's history to be majority female, with women making up 55% of the year group. Her experience in industry has also been positive, “I’m always listened to and respected.”

Unexpected routes and transferable skills

Our panel reassured pupils that careers rarely follow a straight line, and encouraged them to keep their options open for as long as possible, remain receptive to new opportunities and avoid feeling they need every step of their future mapped out in advance.

Sarah originally planned to study medicine and join the RAF as a medical officer. However, as she explored her options, she realised that what truly interested her was working with aircraft and the engineering behind them. That decision to change direction proved pivotal, leading to the rewarding and varied military career she enjoys today. She also highlighted that career choices are rarely fixed. During her service, she has completed three further degrees. These opportunities to learn, specialise and develop new skills throughout your career are one of the aspects she values most about the RAF.

Cong reflected that one of the biggest surprises about working in architecture was how little time is spent designing in isolation. She discovered that architecture is a highly collaborative process, bringing together clients, contractors, material suppliers and local communities to deliver a project, “It’s a collective effort.”

She was also surprised by how much learning each new project involves. Every commission brings its own challenges and unfamiliar requirements, meaning she is constantly developing new skills and knowledge. Rather than arriving with all the answers, she researches, adapts and develops solutions as the project unfolds.

Alina discovered fire engineering through an elective module at university, a decision that ultimately reshaped her entire career. At the time she was certain she was going to become a civil engineer, building the infrastructure that society depends on, like bridges, roads, railways and flood defences. But she took an elective and was hooked, “I went to that classroom and fell in love with fire science.”

While their careers have taken them in very different directions, all three speakers agreed that technical careers are about much more than technical knowledge alone. Project management, communication, leadership and creativity are just as important as technical expertise. Sarah reflected that engineers are often skilled organisers and problem-solvers, able to bring people together and keep complex projects moving forward. She experienced this first-hand while coordinating military support and equipment donations to Ukraine, where her project management and leadership skills were just as important as her engineering background.

Advice for the future

When asked what advice they would give their younger selves, the panellists offered thoughtful and empowering reflections.

Sarah encouraged pupils to keep opportunities open rather than limiting future options based on assumptions about where life might lead, “Keep every door open.”

Alina urged students to embrace opportunities even when they do not feel fully qualified or prepared, encouraging pupils not to underestimate what they are capable of achieving, “If you feel underprepared, if you feel scared, just do it anyway.”

Cong encouraged pupils to pursue work they genuinely enjoy rather than chasing trends, arguing that passion and authenticity create more lasting success.

The evening provided pupils with valuable insight into the diverse careers available within engineering and design, and demonstrated that careers are rarely linear. Whether through unexpected opportunities, evolving interests or the discovery of entirely new fields, fulfilling careers are often shaped by a willingness to stay curious, embrace new experiences and step outside your comfort zone.