International Women in Engineering Day 2025 – Charlotte

Charlotte Hayes, 2M0LVY – Lead Test Engineer

What made you interested in a STEM career?

Since I was a young, I’ve been captivated by the beauty of the world around us – the intricate ways things work and the mysteries waiting to be uncovered. Yet, growing up, I was part of a generation where STEM careers weren’t encouraged for girls. Science kits and rockets were labelled as boys’ toys while makeup, dolls and fashion seemed to be the norm for girls. I vividly remember being handed a compact mirror and told to be ‘more feminine,’ while my heart longed to be climbing trees, building dens, or peering through a microscope at tiny creatures.

It wasn’t until after I had graduated and in the world of work that software development was even on my radar. I found myself working as a junior project manager, alongside a team of amazing developers, Business Analysts and testers and I realised I had found ‘my people’. Like me, these people were curious, highly analytical and loved problem solving. It was at that point that I decided to change careers. Now, I am a Lead Test Engineer working with clients around the world using the same code that looked like magic to me just a decade ago.

What kind of engineering do you do?

You hear all sorts of stories of things going wrong with software, from payment systems going down to websites not being able to handle the demand for concert tickets.

This is where Test Engineers, like me, play a crucial role. We’re part of the development team and our job is to understand what the software is supposed to do and put it through its paces. As a Lead Engineer, my job involves working out what to test, how to test it and how to manage any bugs we find along the way.

How has amateur radio contributed to your work?

The biggest thing that amateur radio has given me is confidence. I never thought in a million years that the same girl who was rubbish at maths at school would be learning about electronics, soldering things or appearing on The European Ham Radio Show, but this is all thanks to radio! I have met so many amazing people and my journey is still only just beginning…

How do you think that STEM hobbies can help young girls and women who are thinking of pursuing a career in engineering?

In addition to being great fun, STEM hobbies allow girls to see who they might become in the future. The skills learned through a hobby can also really help build their confidence in their own technical abilities and help pave the way towards them ticking the box next to a STEM degree.

What advice would you give to girls who are thinking of pursuing a career in engineering?

My biggest piece of advice would be never to give up your dream! You can be an engineer who also loves pink, glitter and makeup – the idea that it is one or the other is a false dichotomy. We can be whoever we want to be and still be amazing engineers.

What’s your favourite part of amateur radio?

The fact that I can talk to someone on the other side of the world with a piece of wire still feels like magic!

I recently did my first POTA activation. It brought me so much joy to see the look of wonder on people’s faces when I told them that the voices they were hearing had travelled hundreds of miles before being picked up by some wire on a flagpole strapped to a bench. I don’t think I’ll ever lose a sense of wonder and excitement.

 “I have met so many amazing people and my journey is still only just beginning”

Category: INWED