Ep 351: Emerging Leaders: Stepping Into Leadership as an Early-Career Engineer

Stepping into STEM leadership doesn’t require a senior title or having everything figured out. In this episode, Katie Ashley, volunteer coordinator of the SWE Early Career Professionals Affinity Group (SWE ECP AG), is joined by Zoe Husted, ECP AG conferences and awards co-chair and president of the SWE Golden Gate Section, and Kathryn Wittek, ECP AG design coordinator and president of the SWE Baltimore-Washington Section, to explore what leadership can look like in the beginning years of an engineering career. Drawing from their experiences in SWE, team sports, and technical roles, Zoe and Kathryn share when they started seeing themselves as leaders, how they navigate leading more experienced colleagues, and why learning and leading often happen at the same time. Hear their tips to find community as an early-career engineer, plus how the skills they have developed through SWE have translated into the workplace. The SWE ECP AG was formed to equip individuals with the support, resources, and inclusive community to excel in the first ten years of their career. Get involved and find out about upcoming ECP AG events at https://earlycareerprofessionalsag.swe.org/. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.