Meet Safa El-Rayyes
Safa El-Rayyes graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from McMaster University in 2018. She is currently an Estimator at Siemens Canada. In her free time, Safa enjoys traveling, photography, reading novels, baking, and mentoring robotics teams.
When did your love of STEM begin?
My love of STEM began at a very young age. My father, a Mechanical Engineer, continuously fostered and encouraged my interest in all things technical, and we would always spend time together watching "How it's Made" or finding innovative ways to fix things around the house. From that stemmed a desire to always wanting to know how everything works and I explored that by taking physics and tech design courses throughout high school.
What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?
Working in the field of STEM has provided me with so many opportunities to develop personally and professionally. I love learning new things, and in the field of STEM, the technology is always changing, so there is always something new to discover. There are also so many opportunities to get involved and meet new people.
Being involved in the Siemens Canada Women in Engineering group, I have been able to develop my own leadership and coordination skills as well as connect with industry professionals in STEM, and learn from them as they share their experiences.
My personal experience and introduction into STEM has also lead me to participate in the First Robotics Competition as a mentor these past few years. Through First Robotics, I am fortunate to able to collaborate with girls in high school, encouraging them as they take part in an innovative opportunity that teaches them valuable technical and leadership skills. Seeing the students gain confidence and interest in STEM, has been very rewarding.
What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?
I would share the best advice that has helped me as I begin my career, which is to always be open to learning. Whether it is learning from your colleagues, learning from projects and extra-curriculars, or most importantly learning from mistakes. No matter what your level of experience is, if you are open to learning and developing, you can start from anywhere and definitely achieve your goals.