Meet Elisa Longo, Graduate engineer
Elisa is a graduate of the University of Messina in Italy, where women make up about 20% of engineers – compared to about 12% in Ireland.
She joined Roughan & O’Donovan’s graduate development programme last April and is currently working as a member of the transportation team.
Is engineering a sought-after profession in Italy?
Yes and no. We have a great number of excellent engineering colleges in Italy, many of which are more than 500 years old. However, we produce more engineers than what we need, so we must export a lot of our skilled graduates abroad.
Why do you think more women in Italy choose engineering as a career than in Ireland and the UK?
I think it is probably due to the nature of the secondary school education in Italy. I attended the Scientific Lyceum for 5 years, and it focused mainly on technical and scientific subjects, such as physics, chemistry, maths, biology, technical drawings and informatics.
While I remained on this scientific path, I was sure about my future as an engineer.
Why did you come to work in Ireland after graduating?
It was August 2016, and I was on a train reading a weekly magazine when I came across an article about Ireland and its period of growth. I felt it was a sign that the time was right for me to go abroad and find my way.
I chose Ireland because it is an English-speaking country with a reputation for welcoming people.
What do you like most about your work?
The two things I like most about my job are the feeling of satisfaction I get after completing a long and difficult task and the new challenges I face every day.
Challenges are everywhere; you just need to be brave (or fool) enough to say yes, and after that you will find all the help you need to succeed.
Where do you see your career taking you in the future?
I don’t know; I haven’t consulted my magazine for inspiration yet! Joking aside, I feel lucky that Roughan & O’Donovan’s graduate development programme has allowed me to develop skills in so many areas of engineering.
And, as I hope one day to become chartered, I would like to continue my path here, confident that the variety of resources available will enable me to achieve this goal.