“I have always proven that I am capable through my work.”
As a System Engineer for integrated technology specialists Rheinmetall, Sakuni knows all about making her mark in a male-dominated field.
And like most women in similar situations, Sakuni has had to work harder to do it.
But instead of crumbling under the pressure of constantly proving herself, she thrived and exceeded expectations – including her own.
Today, Sakuni is one of the company’s brightest system engineers, having just returned to Australia from a year-long secondment opportunity in Germany.
Here’s how she turned an otherwise daunting challenge into a springboard for her professional and personal growth.
An uphill battle by default
Long before she joined Rheinmetall and pursued her career in defense and engineering, Sakuni clearly knew what she was getting into.
“From my studies at university, it was apparent to me how very male-dominated the industry is. I was the only woman or one of the few women in most of my classes. And at work, I have almost always been the only woman in my team.”
But knowing what to expect and getting through it are two different things.
She recalls some of her struggles early in her career:
“I have had some challenges where my skills or decisions were undermined.”
Sakuni learned back then that the best way to prove she belonged was to let her work speak for itself.
And that’s exactly what she did – again and again.
“Once they see that, it becomes easier.”
Fortunately for Sakuni, she found an organization that truly treated her as an equal from day one, with people who valued her for what she could do and what she brought to the table.
Her move to Rheinmetall then was nothing short of life-changing.
Finding a true advocate in her career
Many STEMM-based organizations wrestle with gender bias and gender gaps, which can often make women feel unwelcome or alienated.
But there are exceptions, and Sakuni feels grateful to have found one of them.
“When I first joined Rheinmetall, I was treated as an equal by my manager and my team. I was given the opportunity to do a secondment in Germany along with a few other male colleagues.”
Rheinmetall, Sakuni learned, was very different from most other companies in defense and engineering. It embraced inclusion and diversity and actively maintained a culture of growth.
“My team lead checks in with me often to ensure that I am on track to achieve my goals in the role and offers any support that I need.”
She adds:
“Rheinmetall Defence Australia supports my career development and provides any training that I need. Even while I was in Germany for a secondment opportunity, I was supported by both Rheinmetall Australia and Rheinmetall Germany. I also had a great team in Germany that supported me and helped me with the language and translations.”
Rheinmetall provides flexible working arrangements, comprehensive career development support, and an inclusive and anti-discriminatory culture that helps its employees thrive
Accelerating her growth in Germany
Since joining Rheinmetall, Sakuni’s professional and personal growth has undeniably skyrocketed.
She plays an important role in the company’s integration, testing, and delivery of Boxer CRV’s (combat reconnaissance vehicles), working on its C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) subsystems – the brains of these vehicles.
She credits much of her success now to the secondment opportunity the company provided her.
“I got the chance to work on the first-ever prototype of the RECON variant of the Boxer Block 2 in Germany. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience where everything integrated for the first time to see this project come to life. I also managed to solve a few issues and even got a chance to ride in it.”
And now, several months after her return, Sakuni still reaps its benefits.
“My understanding of how things work in Germany has given me a new perspective at work. I learned different communication styles, which has improved my communication with my German colleagues. We work closely with Germany, and it is really helpful to know how their processes work and how much time some processes take. This has given me a new appreciation of German engineering.”
She says fondly:
“I now have a much bigger appreciation for the project and the phases we go through. I’m also working towards becoming a senior systems engineer in the near future.”
And sitting on top of all these accomplishments are the many personal milestones and positive experiences she gained while there.
“I managed to travel to 16 countries. I had my now-fiancé visit me twice, had my mother and my little sister and my dad come to see me, and we had a wonderful time in Europe. I also met some amazing people and made some lifelong friends that made my life in Germany memorable and enjoyable.”
Inspiring other women in STEMM
When we asked Sakuni her top tips for women in male-dominated fields, she tells us:
“I would say have a vision and a plan of where you want to be.”
As Sakuni has shown, knowing where you want to be and what you need to do to get there is crucial. Being one of the few women in your field can be intimidating, but it can be much less so with the right employer and the right career strategy.
“Also, have a mentor that you can ask support from when you need it. This can be someone that you look up to. They don’t have to be an official mentor. I have had both official mentors in my career and other mentors I saw as role models that I would ask advice from.”
And, lastly, Sakuni reminds us:
“Always ask for what you want. If you don’t, the answer is always going to be no.”
She explains:
“I found that by making my intentions clear and talking about the work I would like to do, I have had my managers bring up opportunities when they popped up, simply because I clearly stated the direction that I want to go in my career.”
And while things are getting better with gender gaps in STEMM industries, there’s still a long way to go before it becomes irrelevant to future generations of women.
The solution, Sakuni suggests, should start from a basic, fundamental level.
“I believe we need more women champions and promote engineering as a career from a young age to primary school girls.”
And in her own way, she is doing her part.
