From doubting her place to recognising the value she brings - Dalvina’s story is about finding belonging in an industry she once thought wasn’t for her.
What did you think engineering would be like before you started?
Engineering wasn’t even on my radar growing up, and it wasn’t until a friend of mine was applying for Mechanical Engineering and said, ‘Why don’t you apply too?’ and that was probably the first time I seriously considered it.
At that point, my understanding of engineering was pretty limited - I kept picturing offshore oil platforms or Formula One teams, because those were the stereotypes I’d always seen. When I started studying it, there were definitely far more male students than female, and constantly hearing comments about engineering being a ‘man’s job’, really made me question whether I belonged there at first.
Has anything about working in engineering surprised you?
What surprised me most about working in engineering is how open and collaborative it is. Before starting, I think I expected it to feel much more individual and male dominated, but my experience has been very different.
Whether it’s sustainability, mechanical or another discipline, everyone contributes ideas and works towards the same outcome. I’m finding that it’s much more supportive and very team focused.
Can you share a moment in your career that you’re proud of?
One moment that’s really stayed with me, is being in a design team meeting where we were all working through a sustainability challenge together and everyone in the room was genuinely engaged and wanted to find the best solution. I remember leaving the meeting feeling really energised, and it was probably one of the moments I realised I’d found where I’m meant to be.
What would you say to a younger version of yourself?
I’d want to tell my younger self that nobody has the right to tell you - or make you feel - that you don’t belong here or that you’re not a ‘real engineer’. There isn’t just one right way to be an engineer, and you absolutely have a place here.
