Question: Hi Iona i read that you have a textiles GCSE? If so do you get to use that in your job now or not? Also was it a useful course? thanks the only girl

Iona Strawson answered on 13 Jun 2016:

Hi the only girl, yeah that was my technology choice. I don’t really use it in my job but I do design work so it was good for exercising my creative muscles. I sometimes have to think about how things look so it was probably useful to have done an art based subject. There are a lot of engineering jobs that use art, like software engineering. I know a few engineers with art backgrounds that went on to design cars and stuff. It can also be useful not to focus too heavily on science and maths, to have a broader range of subjects, especially at GCSE to give you more options as you figure out what you want to do. Although science and maths are essential. Universities and employers will look for more interesting backgrounds, and see more skills that you can demonstrate I think.

I hope this answers your question, and well done on being the only girl. I was the only girl in my A-level physics class. Stick with it, its so worth it.

Iona