International Women in Engineering Day 2022 - Meet Olga Konopka

Hi Olga, happy International Women in Engineering Day! Can you tell us how did you get into a career in engineering?

I’ve always been the curious and adventurous one out of my sisters and would spend my childhood in my dad’s carpentry workshop making playthings. This had translated into my adult life as a restless creative streek which I wasn’t too sure how to fully utilise. Art and craft seemed like an ideal initial calling, but after completing a BA and starting in that field, I realised that it wasn’t enough – I wanted to be really challenged and utilise my problem-solving talents to create a difference.

After watching a Hoover Dam documentary and getting to see the way civil engineers worked to design and build this engineering marvel – I finally knew what it was I was meant to be doing. I started my civil engineering foundation degree and not looked back since.

I was fortunate enough to secure my place on the Crossrail graduate programme in 2013 and have been learning what it is to be an engineer ever since – I count myself very lucky to have had such a rich and diverse project to learn on. I can’t imagine doing any other work where I would get such job satisfaction.

What do you love most about your role as an engineer working in transport?

Working on Crossrail has opened my eyes to how intricate and interconnected the different engineering fields are.

This is not only about civils, but also a mechanical, electrical, hydro project - all these disciplines must work in unison to make a transport network work as a whole. Collaboration really is key here.

This also offers unending learning opportunities for an engineer such as me who has so much to learn still. But also for senior engineers who may have worked in the field for 20 years. You’re always learning – that’s what makes working in transport so engaging. 

What skills do you think engineers need?

My role requires not only technical knowledge and logical thinking, but also people management skills.

Probably one of the most essential skills in engineering is communication. Being able to convey your ideas clearly and concisely and ensuring there is no miscommunication is very important.

In a time/ budget constrained project, getting something wrong because a concept wasn’t presented clearly can really make an impact and cause delays/ budget pressures that can’t be afforded.

Negotiation and diplomacy, and interpersonal skills also come into the “communications” pot – these skills are vital when you want someone to start seeing things from your point of view (and possibly agree to a change you thought may be tricky to get approved).

Is there a project or moment in your career so far which you are most proud of?

Having spent the entirety of my career on Crossrail thus far – I can say hand-on-heart that I’m proud of it all. As with anything, there are ups and downs, and some challenges were more difficult to overcome than others, but that’s part of the learning experience – you just hope you can take those lessons and utilise them when the next challenge comes up.

I think my proudest moment though will have to be getting to meet Her Majesty the Queen at the Paddington Station opening ceremony. I hadn’t realised it at the time, but in essence, I was there representing the Crossrail technical department, and I’m glad I hadn’t realised as I’m pretty sure I would have ceased up entirely.

It was the most surreal experience of my life… and such a proud moment.

What advice would you give for other women looking to get into a career in engineering?

My advice to others considering a career in engineering is pretty straight forward - give it a go!

Engineering offers such a broad spectrum of careers, you’re not boxed into one pigeonhole, you have so much to choose from, e.g.: design, technical and project management, quality control, construction management, etc.

So many of my fellow classmates have gone into different careers altogether after finishing their BEng – finance, banking, business, technology – the world is your oyster. You will develop skills that all employers want, so you cannot go wrong.

I started my journey in engineering at 26, it was a risk, but I’ve been fortunate to land a role on a dream project where I’ve seen and learned so much. As they say, no guts – no glory!