Interview
Interview: Donna Green Manufacturing & Production Engineering Magazine speaks with an engineering professional turned FE teacher, Donna Green.
Firstly, could you tell us more about the start of your engineering career and your experience within the engineering sector? I always wanted to be an engineer but was always told that it was ‘boy’s job’, so I built a career in administration instead. However, when I was in my mid-30s I decided to pivot my career and re-train as a computer-aided designer at an electrical engineering company. I really enjoyed the subject and after receiving my qualification, I started to think about how I could share these skills with others. What inspired you to transition into the Further Education sector? After 8 years working and studying for my higher diploma, the Head of the Engineering Department at the College asked me if I had ever thought about further education (FE) teaching. I jumped at the chance. Seeing the passion of the teachers at college when I was a student, the appeal of each day being different, the open-minded approach of staff and the environment that I was learning in that made me want to join and be a part of it. Teaching is a vocation, but if you do take it on and the shoe fits, it’s a lovely shoe to wear. If you have a passion for your sector and real-world industry skills, you already have what it takes to
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Manufacturing & Production Engineering Magazine
be a further education teacher, your skills are so much more valuable than you realise! Have you experienced any barriers entering the industry? I haven’t experienced any barriers entering the industry as companies are usually open to the best candidate for the role. However, stereotypes do still exist, for example sometimes I find people assume I’m working in an admin-based role at my company rather than as a lead engineer. But this is why role models, particularly in
further education, are so important to help break down these stereotypes and convince more women and girls that this is an industry for them too. Can you talk about the valuable training opportunities you each offer to students? I believe that teaching the practical skills of engineering in a creative manner allows for students to think outside the box to solve problems. Lessons don’t just take place in the classroom. Instead, teaching in FE is varied and can take place