Please introduce yourself and tell us about your career journey to date.
My name is Ásta Briem and I’m originally from Iceland but have been living in the UK for the past eight years. After graduating from school, I was unsure about what I wanted to study so I spent a year in Chicago as an Au Pair. On returning to Iceland, I began studying chemical engineering but soon realised this wasn’t the path for me. I subsequently applied to the University of Liverpool to study Aerospace Engineering. Thankfully I loved the degree and made some of my best friends during my time in Liverpool. In July 2022 I graduated with an MEng in aerospace engineering and started working at Arcadis as a fire engineer the following September. I have been working there ever since.
What inspired you to pursue a career in fire engineering?
Ending up in fire engineering was by complete chance if I’m being honest. I had applied for a graduate mechanical engineering role at Arcadis and was invited to attend an assessment centre. Afterwards, the early careers team contacted me letting me know my qualification didn’t quite match what the mechanical team were looking for but that the fire engineering team wanted to interview me. I had no idea that fire engineering even existed at that point. From what research I’d done, Arcadis was a company that seemed to align their morals and beliefs with mine regarding sustainability and equality, so I thought I’d try out fire engineering and see how I liked it. I am now almost four years into the job, and I have no intention of switching career paths.
What do you find most rewarding about working in this field?
What I find most rewarding about working as a fire engineer is that, to the best of my ability, I am making the built environment safer for everyone. I ensure that risks are minimised which could ultimately save people's lives. With any project, life safety can become an afterthought within the bigger project picture. However, that is the priority and my job to guarantee that life safety takes precedence, which makes me feel like I’m making a difference in the world and leaving the world a better place.
What professional achievement are you most proud of, and why?
I am most proud of my university degree because of the Covid challenges through my second and third years. Completing my final year online, during prolonged lockdowns, required a high level of resilience and self-discipline. I remained committed and looking back, it is proof that I am capable of hard things.
How has being part of the IFE supported your development or career progression
Being a part of the IFE has ensured that I stay on track for my chartership and hold myself accountable for documenting that journey. IFE offers insightful and interesting CPDs that have broadened my horizon and made me approach projects in a different way. I have also taken IFE exams which has given me a great overview of the field as a whole and educated me on aspects of it that I’m not exposed to in my day-to-day life.
Do you have any advice for women thinking of starting a career in fire safety?
I’d say don’t hesitate, just go for it. It is an amazing career path that makes a difference in the world to so many people. You get to work on such varied projects that span many different sectors, so the work never gets repetitive. From each project you learn something new so you never get complacent, and you can constantly push yourself to become better.
Please provide a photograph of yourself – this can be a head and shoulders shot or a work-related image, preferably in jpg format. You may also wish to include any interesting photos which are work related and illustrate the fire sector you work within / any high-profile projects you have been involved in.