Building an engineering career path: from curiosity to impact
Discovering engineering early
Like many engineers, Sinneli’s journey began with practical problem solving. Early exposure to technical toys helped her build confidence with mechanical concepts and laid the foundation for her interest science, engineering and the technologies that underpin modern industrial systems. She recognises that this opportunity is not always available to everyone.
From a young age, assumptions about who is ‘likely’ to enjoy technical activities can unintentionally limit career choices. Sinneli reflects that many girls are not encouraged to explore engineering-related interests early on - something she believes must change if the industry is to broaden participation and unlock future talent.
Facing imbalance - and pushing forward
This lack of early exposure often becomes more visible later in education. During her university studies, Sinneli observed first-hand how underrepresented women were in engineering courses, particularly when compared with the overall cohort size. Experiences like this reinforced her belief that the industry must continue working to improve access, opportunity and representation for future generations of engineers.
Despite these challenges, Sinneli remained focused on her goals. Support from peers, mentors and educators played a critical role in helping her progress and develop confidence in her abilities.
The value of encouragement and collaboration
Support has been a consistent theme throughout Sinneli’s career. From university through to IMI’s graduate programme, she highlights the importance of people who champion potential, offer guidance and create space to grow.
In her day‑to‑day work, Sinneli places strong emphasis on collaboration - taking time to listen, preparing thoroughly, and building connections across teams. These behaviours have helped her work effectively with colleagues from diverse functions and backgrounds, ensuring ideas are shared, challenged and strengthened.
Stepping outside the comfort zone
One of Sinneli’s career highlights came when she was asked to lead a cross‑functional team within IMI’s Growth Hub programme. The initiative brings together people from across the business to tackle real customer challenges and develop innovative product concepts.
The role pushed Sinneli well beyond her comfort zone. Managing a geographically dispersed team, across different time zones and levels of seniority became even more complex when the COVID‑19 pandemic forced collaboration to move entirely online. Navigating these challenges proved to be a significant learning experience, culminating in the successful presentation of her team’s recommendations to senior management.
A broad and rewarding role
Today, as a Product Manager for actuators within IMI’s Industrial Automation sector, Sinneli works across a wide range of disciplines, from operations and technical support to marketing. This variety is one of the aspects she enjoys most, allowing her to apply analytical thinking and structured problem solving to new challenges every day.
Engineering, she believes, offers a uniquely flexible foundation - opening doors to roles that combine technical understanding with strategic and commercial insight.
Engineering a more sustainable future
Looking ahead, Sinneli is excited by the role engineering can play in addressing global challenges. From reducing product carbon footprints to improving energy efficiency and lowering emissions, engineers are central to building more sustainable solutions.
At IMI, this focus on responsible innovation aligns closely with Sinneli’s own motivations, using breakthrough engineering to deliver meaningful, real‑world impact for customers and industries.
Advice for aspiring engineers
For young people, particularly women considering an engineering career, Sinneli’s advice is clear: don’t be deterred by perceived barriers. Engineering builds valuable problem‑solving and analytical skills that can lead to a wide range of fulfilling career paths.
As stereotypes continue to be challenged, the industry needs fresh perspectives and new talent to support its future. Engineering underpins so many aspects of everyday life, and the next generation of engineers will play a vital role in shaping what comes next.
Interested in building an engineering career with real‑world impact?
Discover current opportunities, graduate programmes and career paths at IMI and see how you can help shape the future of industrial automation through engineering excellence, digital innovation and sustainable solutions.