“Engineering needs diverse voices – and I’m proud to be one of them”

During Disability History Month, Mechanical Engineering student Elena Brake is encouraging people to explore a career in engineering

11 December 2024

Women make up 15.7% of the UK engineering workforce, and people with disabilities just 11% of it.

So when you add into the mix that student Elena Brake also originally studied Fine Art, you could say that her engineering pathway seemed unlikely.

But as a natural problem solver who realised her passion for coming up with innovative ideas within her creative projects, she explored engineering at the University of Plymouth to make her ideas happen. Now she has won a coveted scholarship from the Royal Academy of Engineering and is using her voice to amplify those of people less likely to go into the profession.

In state-of-the-art Babbage Building

Elena Brake and Royal Academy of Engieering leadership scholars

With her follow Royal Academy of Engineering leadership scholars

At roundtable event

I did all arts-based A levels, and after graduating I was working as a practising artist and an art technician.

I loved my job, but it was very physical and as my disability began to restrict me more, I began looking for something different that relied less on my body but still allowed me to be creative.

Coupled with really enjoying the more complex things I was trying to make as an artist, I began to realise that engineering might be a good path to explore. My dad is an engineer, and I always called him when I couldn’t work out how to make something happen. He always had the answers!

Following my access course, I remember coming to an Open Day at the University of Plymouth. The lecturers and students were so welcoming and I came away feeling very inspired, and satisfied I was making the right decision.

Elena embarked on a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering , and received support from the Tamar Engineering Project .

Paired with environmental consultant company Fishtek, Elena received mentoring and financial support. The mentoring relationship led to her being offered a part-time job at Fishtek as a Trainee Engineer alongside her studies.

In addition, she has also been instrumental in supporting interdisciplinary inclusivity projects led by the University, such as contributing to the design of a toolkit to encourage more disabled and neurodiverse people into engineering – watch a video about the project.

All of this fuelled her drive towards advocacy.

Tamar Engineering Project scholar, Elena Brake

I’ve been very lucky to have the opportunity to immerse myself in my studies thanks to the backing I’ve received, and I know that diversity is so valued in engineering.

Neurodivergent and disabled people have such useful perspectives, such as identifying and preventing design problems.

Having these opportunities gave me even more of a boost to ‘pay it forward’, and help people into an engineering career when they might not have considered one.

Outside Royal Academy of Engineering

Part of the team who secured the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Silver Athena Swan award

Elena then applied for and was one of 38 UK engineering students to be awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Engineering Leadership Scholarship, giving her financial support towards opportunities that will further develop her passion.

Thanks to the funding and industry links, she is undertaking a public speaking course, learning British Sign Language, and exploring more ways to make engineering more inclusive.

The next round of the scholarship is accepting applications until 16 January 2025, and she is encouraging her peers to apply.

Apply by 16 January

Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Engineering Leadership Scholarship

Elena also co-chaired the University’s first student-led Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as part of the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Athena Swan application.

In addition to regular appearances at national conferences, all of her work is enabling her to be the ‘role model she wishes she had’.

Being disabled in engineering isn’t a hindrance. I don’t want to be the exception to a ‘standard’ engineer, so am being the role model I wish I’d had.

Imagine if you were in hospital and met a nurse who had the same condition as you, you’d bond over lived experience and it could be really powerful reassuring thing.

The same applies in engineering – we’re much stronger trying to find solutions if there are more lived perspectives looking at the problem in the first place.

Whatever your background, you absolutely belong and have a role here.

Engineering needs diverse voices – and I’m proud to be one of them.

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