Caitlin Wright

What do you do now?

I’m a Thermofluids Engineer at Rolls-Royce, looking after a fluids system and requirements to make sure the plant is designed efficiently. 

I didn’t have a career plan to go down the aerospace career path. I was clueless as to what industry or type of job I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to do a graduate scheme after university. The engineering industry is very vast, and I learned transferable skills from my degree. Being in an aerospace industry with no aerospace background has been very interesting. You never stop learning, even in your career! The Rolls-Royce Graduate Scheme allowed me to gain a wide range of experience in many areas to find the area of work I find engaging and interesting.

I completed my A levels at South Craven with three C’s in Chemistry, Biology and Maths. I always enjoyed Chemistry and Maths, and knew I wanted to stay within the Science and Maths industry, so I came across chemical engineering. After my A levels, I studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Chester, before completing my Postgraduate Masters of Science in Advanced Chemical Engineering at the University of Leeds. On completion of my studies I started the Engineering and Technology Graduate Scheme in Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce, Derby. I knew I wanted valuable engineering experience after university, and a graduate scheme appealed to me so I could use my transferable skills from university into an industry.

Getting into an aerospace graduate scheme was a difficult process, and I enjoyed the challenges that came from learning a new industry and the world of work. I spent two years rotating around different engineering disciples, from manufacturing engineering to modelling data.

It felt daunting to enter the world of aerospace engineering with no knowledge of how a turbine engine works, but the enjoyment I get out of learning new things has opened my eyes to the world of engineering. There are so many options out there I didn’t know existed until I went into an engineering environment. 

I have enjoyed all aspects of the choices that have led me to my career today, from my A level studies through to university. Even though I have entered a male-dominated career, I don’t feel out of place and have taken every opportunity that has come my way to make the most out of my career.

What advice would you give to your 17-year-old self?

Just stick at it! It seems hard during your studies, but everything works out in the end and the hard work pays off. There’s no pressure on having a set path of what your future looks like - just look into all opportunities and don’t be scared to apply for jobs you’ve never thought of. 

The opportunities are endless!

What are you most proud of?

I’m proud of how I have pushed myself into a career I never even thought of in school. I always worked hard during my studies and university, even with no career path. The hard work does pay off.

Taking a leap into a male-dominated industry has been very rewarding. I thought it was going to be daunting, but I’ve had no negative experiences. I’m proud of becoming an engineer who can help make a difference to the aerospace industry.