Five Minutes With Megan Didcote

Could you tell us a bit more about your role at SEA?

As a Graduate Software Engineer at SEA, I work on a couple of different projects. I help with designing new features, supporting the development of work and work towards the graduate projects over the two-year programme. These projects can involve improving functionality and refining how users interact with systems. The software we build also supports wider engineering products, helping turn requirements into practical, usable solutions.

Initially I studied medical engineering, where I was first introduced to coding, with some exposure to tools like MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory), and I really enjoyed that side of it. I then did a master's degree in software engineering to develop my problem-solving skills and open the door to several different career paths and industries.

You’re on the Graduate Scheme, what can you tell us about that?

The Graduate Scheme enables you to work on to real world projects straight away. You’re learning on these projects as well as developing your personal and professional skills to grow within the company. Currently, the graduates and I are creating a miniature KraitArray which can used for STEM and career events.

Within my role, there’s a mixture of both technical and soft skills such as development work, working in agile software teams and communication. Being involved in a mixture of projects allow the opportunity to work with lots of different people whilst the graduate projects help me to broaden skills across the business while operating within a small team.

I’m also an Army Reserves Gunner, and SEA supports me in doing this. I’ve always wanted to be more hands-on, so it made sense to fill that desire and push myself. SEA is a Gold Armed Forces Covenant holder, and as part of the Reservist policy, grants me two weeks off a year for training requirements.

What advice would you give to someone considering a graduateship at SEA?

It can always seem quite intimidating at first, but no one ever expects you to know absolutely everything. So, keep curious, keep learning as much as you can and always give things a go; you'll gain a lot of experience from it, so just go for it.

Once you start working after university and education, you never stop learning, every day is a school day and there’s always more that you can learn and achieve, which is something that I really enjoy.

Could you tell us more about the upcoming INWED Open Event and your role in that?

I’ll be on the panel with other women across the company for International Women’s Engineering Day, where we can share our experiences and day-to-day roles. This is an opportunity for us to encourage more women to consider engineering as a future career, gain career advice and build professional connections.

As a woman who’s only a couple of years into their engineering career, this is a great way for those like me, to speak to women who are well into their careers and hear advice taken from their own professional experiences. I’m looking forward to it.

Thank you, Megan.

If you would like to learn more about our INWED Open Event, please use the link here.