As an individual I am always on the move and so it irritates me when things that are meant to be moving and functioning do not perform as they should. This irritability of things not working led me to engineering and this has turned me into a natural problem solver. I enjoy diagnosing, understanding systems and finding solutions.
Choosing this path as a woman however means entering spaces where very few people look like me.
One of the realities of technical professions is that women are still underrepresented. This creates challenges beyond learning the trade itself. Sometimes the biggest hurdle is proving that you belong, making many women entering technical fields to carry an unspoken pressure to perform exceptionally well simply to be viewed as capable.
Being here will help me gain the hands-on experience that transforms classroom knowledge into professional competence especially as it pertains to vehicle management. I want to specialize on maximizing vehicle uptime and contribute to efficiency and sustainability.
But what I hope to harvest from this program goes beyond technical ability. I hope that one day I will become the kind of professional young girls can point to when considering careers in engineering and mechanics. Representation matters because it expands what others believe is possible. When women succeed in technical spaces, they challenge assumptions not through words but through performance.
My goal is simple: to become so competent, professional and respected that my work speaks for itself. If that journey also inspires other women to enter the field, then I will consider that one of my greatest achievements.
Faith Jepkoech Rotich- BSc. Mechanical Engineering