Engineering is always a field that will lack a pool of outgoing people to represent their fellow students, and I never considered myself to be the type to either. When a lecturer joined the start of one of our lectures to ask (practically beg) for someone to volunteer as class rep (more officially called programme rep), I thought I’d take the chance.

There was a part of me that did feel duty call upon hearing that we’d gone an entire semester without anyone to represent us, but I was also conflicted by the time I knew it would take away from my studies. Ultimately my friends encouraged me to go for it, and I haven’t regretted a moment spent in my volunteering journey since. 

I’ve done multiple forms of volunteering since then, whether it’s through being class rep for 3 years, becoming a mentor and tutor for an engineering outreach programme, or facilitating climate change education workshops for all ages, it has always brought me a huge sense of joy, community and reward. I also decided to take on a role within the Student Union as a leader of an engineering society aiming to inspire young engineers to explore the impossible, using the tool of human powered aircraft. Leading HPFStrath is sometimes a debatable form of volunteering since it’s a student society, but the efforts were much the same. Although stressful to manage both my university degree, social life, and volunteering activities I wouldn’t even dream of changing anything.

Volunteering isn’t just a one way street though, and it shouldn’t be! Volunteering teaches you so many skills I’ve been able to use in my professional career. For example, I’ve already used my workshop facilitation and meeting planning skills from the climate workshops and HPFStrath in my internship at Airbus. And I use the countless skills I’ve picked up from being class rep in my everyday professional and personal life. Outreach gave me the opportunity to pay back to the students at the same high school in which the science department practically raised me, and allowed me to self reflect on how far I’ve come. Managing all of these commitments also forced me to become great with timekeeping and organisation. So many of the skills you pick up while volunteering are transferable to those in all walks of life, and the safe environment of volunteering allows you to develop and grow without the worry of a manager or payment looming over you.

Last year I campaigned to be the Engineering faculty rep, to represent the whole of engineering rather than just my year group or department. Unfortunately I had to pull out of the race this year thanks to my placement offer at Airbus which I couldn’t refuse. However, I fully intend to campaign again for next year. 

It may feel like too much of a commitment now, or it may feel like one more volunteer won’t make a difference, but I guarantee volunteering is not something you will regret. (And hey, if you do, it’s not like you’re stuck in a contract!)