We spoke with Julia, a former member of the Kingston University Science&Engineering Saturday Club from 2018 to 2020. Julia reflects on how her time at the Club ignited her passion for STEM subjects, shaped her career aspirations, and built the confidence she needed to excel in a male-dominated industry.

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Why did you want to join the Science&Engineering Saturday Club at Kingston University?

At the time, I was set on becoming a marine biologist or something along those lines. Then, the National Saturday Club came to our school and gave a presentation, and I thought it sounded like such a cool opportunity. They told us we’d get to see how the industry works, experience a different learning environment, and go on trips – I really wanted to experience that.

Do you remember any standout memories from being part of the Club? 

This is such a core memory for me – we visited the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, and I was so excited. Those are my absolute favourite places to visit. While we were there, a bunch of talks really caught my attention. One of them was from an engineer who worked at Lego, she was talking about creating recyclable Lego pieces from plants. I thought it was so cool and innovative and wished I could be just like that, especially as it was a woman giving the talk. 

What have you been up to since being part of the Club?

I am now doing an apprenticeship through K10 with Heathrow Academy. I started in admin, but I didn’t want to limit myself to just admin work. When I finished my first year of the apprenticeship I felt like I had more to offer, so I went to my placement and asked if they could keep me on for another year so I could try site management. I didn’t even mind working nights; I was willing to do whatever it took to get the job and see where it could lead me. They said yes, and here I am!

I know this sounds corny, but I really feel like my confidence came from the Saturday Club. If it wasn’t for the Club taking me on, I don’t think I would have ever believed this was a job I could do.

Besides creative skills, do you feel that the National Saturday Club has helped you develop any other technical or life skills? If so, how?

It was the first time I truly realised how important teamwork is. It’s not just about what you want – it’s about listening to other people and including their ideas. At the time, I found that really difficult because you’re not often put in that kind of situation at school. At the Club, we worked together on creating a water rocket and everyone’s input had to be included. That was definitely a challenge for me because, as an only child, I wasn’t used to that kind of dynamic. But the Club gave me invaluable experience, so when I entered the workplace and had to collaborate with others, it wasn’t a shock, I already had an idea of how to handle it.

Did the Club help you learn about different careers you can go into? 

Absolutely. Every week there was someone new from a different sector and it really opened my eyes to how massive the STEM sector is. Growing up, I thought it was all about astronauts, scientists, and biology. We were shown that if maths interests you then you could go into this job or if you like art you don’t have to be an artist, I didn’t know a designer was part of STEM! Every week, I found myself saying, “Oh my gosh, I want to do this. I want to do that”.

Even my parents thought it was so cool. They had never heard of anything like it before. My mum was especially excited – she had always wanted to go into science herself but never had the chance. So, for her, it was amazing to see what I was doing. At the Summer Show, she was so proud of me and took loads of photos, it was such a special moment.

If you could say anything to someone who was thinking about joining a Saturday Club, what would you say?

I’d say, just apply – go for it. Even if you get there and decide it’s not for you, you can always step back and give your spot to someone else. But honestly, you learn so much, you make new friends, and it’s such an incredible opportunity. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the Club. Plus, you never know who you’re going to meet. The people you connect with there might pop up again 10 years down the line, it’s a great way to start building a network!

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Interview conducted and edited by Suprina Thapa