When Rebecca Beadie started studying for her degree in mechanical engineering, she quickly realised she was going to be one of the few females in her class.
The 23-year-old from Stonehaven had always been interested in maths and physics when she was at school, and couldn’t have imagined a better career path.
“My dad is a petroleum engineer and he encouraged me to go for it,” she said.
“He said there was no better industry for a female to get into.
“I looked at the prospectus and it seemed perfect.”
When she arrived at Aberdeen University five years ago, she was surprised to learn that so few other women had applied.
And yesterday she encouraged more young girls to think about a career in engineering and the oil and gas industry.
“It has been incredible,” she said.
“It has been the most amazing five years of my life and I am so glad I did it.
“There were only a handful of females in my class and we need to encourage more women to get into engineering – it’s not just for men. Don’t be afraid at all.”
Miss Beadie, who has a job lined up with Aker Solutions, said she was excited about putting her skills to good use in the real world.
“I’ve had the time of my life at university, but I’m looking forward to seeing what’s to come,” she said.
