The Engineering Talent Podcast

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Blossom Olisemeke, a final year civil engineering student whose journey spans bridge building, capital markets and a powerful commitment to opening doors for others. Blossom shares what drew her into engineering, why tangible impact keeps her rooted in the sector, and how her experiences as a Black woman in civil engineerin...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Nadia Kanyike, a planning engineer working across major UK nuclear infrastructure programmes, about building a career that has been anything but linear. Nadia shares how a business management degree led her into engineering, the realities of being a Black woman in nuclear, and why representation must go beyond visibility to...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with biomedical engineer Melissa-Sue Anderson about finding her voice, building confidence, and creating technology with real human impact. From growing up in Jamaica to working on medical devices that support cancer treatment, Melissa-Sue shares her journey into engineering, the importance of mentorship and self-validation, and...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Ranita Ariyibi, UK Young Engineer of the Year 2023, about creativity, confidence and making a meaningful impact through engineering. Ranita shares the story behind Intersign, her British Sign Language interpreter device, reflects on finding her place as a young woman in engineering, and explains why you should never wait fo...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with William Dryden about high-stakes decision making in power systems, what it means to help keep the lights on for millions of people, and why visibility in STEM still matters. William reflects on being the first openly gay person to hold the authorisation of Head of Power System at the National Energy System Operator, the imp...

In this first minisode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, host Fayon Dixon takes a moment to reflect on the journey so far: four months of filming, 20 incredible guests, and a growing collection of stories from across the engineering world. From early-career talent and graduates to returners, educators and experienced professionals, Fayon celebrates the variety of people, backgrounds and experienc...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Dr Luana Parisi about a career shaped by architecture, research, education, and a deep commitment to gender equity in STEM. From growing up around a transformed concrete factory in Italy to leading award-winning programmes and international research, Luana reflects on how spaces influence people’s lives, why inclusive desig...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, host Fayon Dixon speaks with design engineer, 1851 Royal Commission Scholar and Stable Spoon founder Hemal Dias about engineering with purpose. Hemal shares how human-centred design shaped his journey, from building early prototypes with everyday materials to developing assistive technology for people with hand tremors. Together, they explore crea...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Emma Chivers, Hardware Engineering Manager at Thales and Engineering Talent Awards Graduate of the Year 2025. Emma shares her unconventional journey into engineering, from following her interests in maths and physics to discovering unexpected career opportunities along the way. Together, they explore breaking engineering st...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Neh Sharma, Senior Energy Engineer at Sweco, about his journey from power plants in India to renewable energy projects across Europe. Neh reflects on stepping outside his comfort zone, studying in the UK, building resilience, and moving from mentee to mentor through the EqualEngineers Pathways Programme. With experience acr...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Sarah Hodgkinson, Senior Manager for Power Station Integration at Rolls-Royce SMR and winner of the ETA 2025 Returner of the Year award. Sarah shares her journey from aerospace into nuclear, why stepping away from engineering made her a stronger leader, and how returning on her own terms helped her rediscover what she loves...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Asfarina Jamaluddin, a degree apprentice in materials science whose journey into engineering has been shaped by curiosity, challenge and a determination to find her own path. Asfarina shares how an early dislike of maths turned into a love for problem-solving, the influence of her mother and teachers, and why stepping outsi...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Gregor Sandford about the journey into engineering, the power of applying maths to the real world, and the importance of building a career with purpose. From growing up between New York and Scotland to exploring renewable energy, heat pumps, sustainable homes and the future of engineering, Gregor reflects on the experiences...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Bethany Hall about building a career in engineering that is driven by purpose, shaped by challenge and grounded in personal values. From sustainable aviation and hydrogen aircraft to imposter syndrome, redundancy and career change, Bethany shares an honest reflection on what it means to look for impact, navigate uncertainty...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon speaks with Hasiba Nawaz about her journey into engineering, the realities of starting an apprenticeship, and the resilience it takes to keep going when confidence is tested. Hasiba reflects on learning to block out outside opinions, trust herself, and keep pushing forward even when things feel difficult. It is an honest conversation about g...

What does it really take to become an engineer when the path isn’t built for you? In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Ash Kala shares his journey from growing up in a low progression school to working in high impact engineering roles where his ideas have delivered real world results. Along the way he opens up about imposter syndrome, navigating university challenges finding his stre...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with Alexia Williams, a multi award winning STEM champion, Chartered Engineer and Technical Lead at Rolls-Royce. Alexia shares her journey from aerospace degree apprentice to industry leader and reflects on the experiences that shaped her career along the way. Together they explore the power of apprenticeships, the importance of...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon speaks with mechanical engineer Daanish Chilwan, whose journey shows how curiosity, resilience and saying yes to opportunities can shape an extraordinary career. Growing up in Bradford, Daanish never imagined he would one day work both in heavy industry and trackside in international motorsport. From studying mechanical engineering and...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Stephanie Alexander shares her journey from a young motorsport fan inspired by Lewis Hamilton to becoming a senior calibration engineer, Formula One race marshal, and advocate for inclusion in engineering. She takes us behind the scenes of high-pressure trackside decisions, explains the split-second software intelligence inside modern vehicles, an...

What does it really take to hold onto a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, and keep chasing it into your twenties? In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Jakub shares his journey from building with Lego as a child in the Czech Republic to pursuing a PhD and flying planes while navigating rejection, setbacks, and the harsh realities of the AI driven job market. He speaks about fa...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, host Fayon Dixon sits down with award winning civil engineering undergraduate Amy-Rose Richardson to explore what it really takes to grow in engineering with confidence and purpose. From her first eye opening experience on HS2 to volunteering across Cambodia India and beyond, Amy-Rose shares how global exposure shaped her passion for sustainable i...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, host Fayon Dixon sits down with Suleymaan Khan, a young robotics innovator whose passion for engineering started in childhood and has grown into award-winning projects with real social impact. Suleymaan shares how curiosity led him into robotics, the inspiration behind building Pepper, a robot designed to support elderly independence, and why crea...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon Dixon is joined by Nyasha Mutembwa, an engineer, leader, and changemaker whose journey spans continents, cultures, and confidence. From growing up with limited exposure to engineering to discovering curiosity through travel, education, and problem-solving, Nyasha shares what it really means to find your place in the industry. Together, they...

In this episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, Fayon sits down with Shohail Ismail to explore what it really takes to build confidence, find your voice, and create opportunity, not just for yourself, but for others too. Shohail shares how growing up in an area with limited opportunity shaped his drive to make engineering feel fairer and more accessible, why asking questions is one of the most...

In this first episode of the Engineering Talent Podcast, we sit down for an inspiring conversation about breaking into engineering, overcoming self-doubt, and finding confidence when you don’t see many people like you in the industry. From navigating early career choices to embracing opportunities without having everything figured out, this episode is packed with honest reflections, motivational a...