Meredith Harrison, Quality Technician with LotusWorks talks to us about her journey with LotusWorks, working in a male dominated industry and moving from the US to Ireland.
The Atlanta, Georgia native graduated from the University of Missouri in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences with Minors in Human Development, Multicultural Studies and Public Service & Leadership before moving to Ireland to begin her career. “My boyfriend is from Galway and I always wanted to work and experience life in Ireland. An opportunity arose at a Medical Technology company in Galway and I was happy to accept” say Meredith.
Meredith joined the LotusWorks team in May 2018 after connecting with Talent Team Lead Edith McShane. Speaking on the recruitment process Meredith is quick to complement the LotusWorks team “My work visa had just expired, and I was seeking new opportunities in Ireland. After securing my work visa for the second time Edith made contact with me and within two weeks I was starting on site in Galway”.
“I am currently based on site at a world known Medical Device company. I was completely unaware of the amount of technician roles that were available in Ireland until I moved here. My role in Galway is Quality Technician working in the mechanical test laboratory. A typical day for me can be very challenging. In our lab we do a multitude of testing between different functions on site. Developing products, ensuring products are ready for approval whether that be with the FDA or another regulatory body and working on design verification projects which take up most of my time” Meredith adds.
When asked about being a female working in a largely male dominated industry, Meredith told us about the culture on site. “We have four full time laboratory technicians here in Galway. Two are male and two are female. This may not be the case at most organisations. I feel very honoured to be a woman working in a male dominated industry which is a changing climate. There are more opportunities for women in engineering now than ever before. My work colleagues are fantastic at what they do. We are able to confer about different projects and they are very supportive of my ideas and thoughts”.
Meredith has some valuable advice for any females that are looking at pursuing a career in engineering. “First thing I would say is just get involved. Attend engineering fairs, school trips or college information days where you feel you can learn more about this industry. Learn the basics early on, look up some STEM disciplines that are available and have a plan in place. There are so much more opportunities available for women in engineering now than ever before. This industry is extremely fast paced and constantly evolving so if you like the idea of being challenged, working toward targets that ultimately make a difference then don’t let anyone deter you from doing just that. I wouldn’t be working with LotusWorks if I didn’t think that way. I am really looking forward to what lies ahead at LotusWorks”.
