Brick by Brick: How Christa Davies Rebuilt Her Engineering Career After a 20-Year Career Break

Work It Like A Mum

Grab your cuppa and get cosy because this week, we've got a story that's going to light a fire under anyone who's ever thought, "Is it too late?" We're chatting with the absolutely inspiring Christa Davies, an engineer whose love affair with LEGO wasn't just child's play—it was a signpost pointing towards a thrilling career in aerospace and beyond.
Christa's not your everyday engineer; she's a comeback queen who pressed pause on her professional life to focus on family, only to leap back into the tech world 20 years later with gusto. From British Aerospace Systems to Air New Zealand and now making waves at UKAEA.
Imagine stepping away from your career, then storming back in to work on fusion energy and robotics for extreme environments. Sounds like something out of a movie, right? But for Christa, it's just another day at the office. She shares with us the ups, the downs, and everything in between—like how a bursary from the Royal Aeronautical Society kicked off her comeback and how the pandemic's push towards remote work was a silver lining in her quest to balance work and home life in the countryside.
This episode isn't just Christa's comeback story; it's a tale of hope for anyone pondering a return to their professional roots after a break. Whether you're wrestling with how to mesh career aspirations with family duties or just looking for a sign that it's never too late to chase your dreams, Christa's tale is the nudge you need. So tune in, get inspired, and remember: your next chapter might just be your best one yet. Let's dive into this journey of resilience, learning, and, yes, a little bit of LEGO love. Subscribe now, and let's keep proving that with the right mix of tenacity and support, we can all work it like a mum!
Show Links:

Connect with our guest, Christa Davies, on LinkedIn
Connect with your host, Elizabeth Willetts on LinkedIn
Check out UKAEA's current job vacancies on their careers site here

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Chapters

1. Brick by Brick: How Christa Davies Rebuilt Her Engineering Career After a 20-Year Career Break (00:00:00)

2. Exploring Fusion Energy and Engineering Careers (00:00:01)

3. Engineering After Career Break (00:19:25)