A Conversation with Rose
What is your current job? Please list the title and briefly describe what it involves
Currently I am self employed as a Product Designer. I work with a lot of new entrepreneurs around the globe to help them create new concept designs for products that may one day change the world.
What made you want to pursue a career in engineering?
I always knew I wanted to do something in science or technology, but I didn’t really understand what engineering was until I began applying to University. The turning point was having a really great tech teacher who encouraged me to push my limits and experiment. With his support my final year project ended up being a device to help my disabled grandad. It was really challenging to bring to life, but also gave me the understanding that engineering really can make a difference to people’s quality of life. That’s still a big motivator for me.
What’s your favourite part of your job?
Variety! I’m always working with different people, different industries and always have new challenges. It keeps me on my toes and lets me be very creative. I’m also always learning new things and finding new ways to apply knowledge which is very exciting.
How do you celebrate National Engineering Month?
National Engineering Month is a key time of year for my team and me at Engspire. With our network of over 100 volunteer Engineers, Engineering technicians and technologists and Engineering students we’re facilitating around 80 ‘Crazy Contraptions’ workshops for Girl Guide and Scout units across Ontario. Around 2000 kids aged 5-14 will be involved this year which is really exciting and a great opportunity to introduce them to what engineering is really about!
What advice do you have for young women who hope to pursue a career in your field?
Don’t forget the why! It’s easy to get caught up, especially in Engineering theory classes, on what and how, but knowing why you’re doing something, or who you’re doing it for is a very powerful thing. Understanding the bigger picture can dramatically change the outcome of a project whether it’s as simple as placing a button is a more intuitive place for usability or making sure that a new process takes into consideration ethical and environmental requirements that can’t be quantified.
Rose’s Biography
Rose Almond P.Eng is a co-founder and program director at Engspire. She completed her Masters of Product Design Engineering from Loughborough University in the UK, with an International exchange year at the University of Toronto. She was the recipient of undergraduate Scholarships from the IMechE and IET (Women in Engineering) 2007-2012 and currently serves as the IET Toronto Local Network Secretary.
