Trailblazers
Gef’s 30 Under 30 2024 Winners: Q&A with Savannha Gunnell
Ten categories. Thirty young visionaries making their mark on the Isle of Man. Introducing the 2024 #Gef30Under30 winners: the next generation of our island’s leaders.
The Love Tech Trailbazers category winners are one of a kind. They glanced at the beaten path and chose to go their own way.
What is your name and age?
Savannha Gunnell, age 25.
Job title or role in the community?
Lecturer in Engineering at UCM.
How did you start your career or role in the community?
I started within the engineering industry, working at Ronaldsway Aircraft Company, studying at UCM and helping out at any STEM event I could. After 6 years within industry, and working my way up to my dream job as a manufacturing engineer, a couple of years later a role came up to lecture in engineering at UCM and I went for it! Now I am teaching the subjects I was taught when I was there, helping the newest generation of engineers achieve their full potential.
In one sentence, summarise your journey so far as a young and successful person under 30.
A lot of assignments and deadlines, plenty of adventures, and many, many energy drinks.
Tell us about your business/industry, is there something interesting about it that most people wouldn’t expect?
Im not sure if this is interesting to people, but where I worked at Ronaldsway made ejector seat parts for pilots that were 100% mechanical, they had no electric components on them at all which I think is pretty cool. And I also made parts for the large hadron collider!
Have you experienced any hurdles in your career or community efforts and if so, how did you overcome them?
I was brought up by parents who never set limits on what I could do, or who I had to be to do it. This idea drove me through into my time within industry. I had people tell me I shouldn’t be in engineering, or that I couldn’t do the job, and then that I couldn’t teach about the industry… I proved them all wrong, by keeping a positive mentality and not doubting myself.
Tell us about why you think you won the category you did?
Being a women in engineering has always been a novelty to people. But through my participation with STEM events, and now teaching, I am proving – along with my fellow female colleagues – that we are engineers that just happen to be women. We’re trying to just engage everyone to find an interest in STEM subjects and how diverse they are. There is this perceived barrier that engineering is still a male-dominated environment, and this perception is what is holding us back. By just continuing to do the job, and do it well, we show there is no barrier that needs to be broken.
Who are your role models, either on-island or off, in your sector or outside of it?
My current mentor and colleague Dr Sarah Hoile, who was one of my engineering lecturers throughout my time studying. Sarah is the most professional, intelligent and caring person I have had the pleasure of meeting, in both the engineering and teaching industry. I aspire to be even half the women she is.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Having asked many fellow engineers for advice, there is one theme that is prevalent: there is more than one way of doing something, and they all have their advantages and limitations. It doesn’t mean you aren’t right.
What do you wish you knew when you were getting started in your career?
There are two things that are so important in engineering: number one is that it is so important to keep asking questions, and asking different people questions, because there is no one right way. So many people in the industry have such a wealth of knowledge that you can learn from, and they will have picked up little tricks that books just cannot teach.
The other is that practice makes permanent and that you need to get involved in every opportunity so you can retain the skills and continue to improve.
What are your plans for the future?
Continue my own education as far as possible, because I think it is important to never stop learning whilst you’re helping others learn. And to provide and support anything engineering, STEM or education related.
What changes do you hope to see in your sector or community in the coming years?
I hope to see less of a push to get women into the industry, and more focusing on just getting *anyone* who is interested in engineering come through the doors, as I feel that is the truest definition of inclusivity. I hope the STEM community continues to thrive and there is a better connection between all the engineering companies on the island, University College Isle of Man and young people, to really showcase what engineering is about, and I hope to aid in that in any way I can.
What, for you, are the benefits of staying on or moving back to the island for young people under 30?
I think for many younger people they can often feel constricted on the island, but I think that there is something so special about island life that you don’t experience anywhere else, there is such a great community presence.
What does being a Gef’s 30 Under 30 winner mean to you?
To be recognised for your efforts and achievements is always appreciated, but to be able to highlight the work that has been done and needs to continue to be done, this is a great platform to help with that!
You must be logged in to post a comment.