Sai Praneeth S: from Aerospace Engineering to Data Analyst

Social media handle(s): LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube Podcast

A few words about me:

I am a data analyst at wolf Eyewear. I went to Cranfield University to pursue MSc in Autonomous Vehicles Controls and Dynamics and did a bachelor degree in Aerospace Engineering in India. I have over 2 years of experience working in tech for non-tech companies.

I love connecting with people who love building tech products and love to have nerdy conversations of sci-fi movies and books. I currently share these conversations on my podcast Bytes and beyond.

Other then my career, I love talking to people, enjoy playing outdoors (Volleyball & Basketball) and video games, go to stand-up comedy shows and visit new countries.

Are there any professional experiences you've had that are quite unexpected compared to what you do nowadays?

No.

Is your background more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or non-STEM related?

Definitely STEM as I have studied for 7 years in aerospace engineering and autonomous vehicles (Drones, etc..).

Where did your professional journey start?

The journey began back in my school days in India, where I was given choices whether I needed to go to an engineering high school, or sports school, or drama schools. I was always a curious kid trying to break things and was fascinated with any electronic products. This naturally led me to learn coding while I was in school and apply it on drones while at university.

My parents played a big role in shaping my decisions regarding my career path and always encouraged me to have an open conversation with them. Their support guides me till today to choose whatever job or career I desire.

How did you get into tech and what motivated you?

Honestly, it was because I was sci-fi nerd and read all kinds of fiction books that motivated me to be part of tech. I was always fascinated by rockets and aeroplanes and decided to somehow be part of this industry or at least learn more about them. This curiosity led me to choose aerospace engineering but I was mostly good at coding and problem-solving. There was one module where through coding you could control the aeroplane or simulate the controls of an aeroplane. This fascinated me to learn more and later apply it to drones.

It quickly became clear that any problem or application that uses code or tech to solve, I was interested to be part of it. Later on the opportunities and financial gains bolstered my interest in tech.

Have you experienced any 'career in tech' challenges / stereotypes?

I always thought knowing about code and tools would help me enjoy working in tech. But after working for few years I understood how much of it is communicating to people. Communication does play a huge part in working in tech which helps to collaborate with the team members. I was under the assumption that I needed to know everything and work independently which later on became a challenge. The team saw me as a person who didn't like working with people and it took a while before I changed this perspective and encouraged more collaboration with other people.

My advice would be to be open to roles and different skills if you are joining the tech industry. There would be many times you feel you are not good enough, but prioritise learning daily and you will start to enjoy your role.

"Never think that you need to know everything as this will leave you to doubt every day, but instead try to concentrate on what kind of problems you enjoy working on."

What you wish you knew before getting started in tech...

1. Imposter syndrome is fine - Keep reminding yourself how you got here and what you would like to achieve. Keep taking small steps towards what you want to achieve and you will be fine.

2. Communicate - Learn to explain your project or anything in simple language as main thing should be that people should understand easily what you are working on instead of showcasing your skills/knowledge. Be open to learn different perspectives.

3. Consistent learning - Make sure you always update yourself even for 30 minutes daily as tech is an never ending field and it is growing exponentially.

4. Documentation is important - Make sure you document every mistake, lesson learnt and projects accomplished. This will start becoming your bible as you grow in your career.

5. Make networking a priority - Either on social media or events make sure you are in touch with other people who are working in similar field or your dream company to keep you always updated and motivated.

What has been your biggest 'wow!' moment related to working in tech so far?

Biggest moment is when I deliver a successful project. This can be insights that the business needs, a product that saves costs in business, or automations that improve efficiencies and save time. These have motivated me to learn and implement more and increase my problem-solving capabilities.

What do you like / not like about working in tech?

I love working in tech as it challenges me every time and humbles me to learn more and makes me a learner everyday. It can get overwhelming at times to keep up with the fast-pace of technologies released every day. Sometimes just knowing what it does is helpful enough instead of digging deep.

Never think that you need to know everything as this will leave you to doubt every day, but instead try to concentrate on what kind of problems you enjoy working on. From there, try to see what technology we have to sort these problems and start learning them by sorting these problems. This helps you to have a focused approach instead of having a wide-approach.

"My advice would be to be open to roles and different skills if you are joining the tech industry. There would be many times you feel you are not good enough, but prioritise learning daily and you will start to enjoy your role."

What's been your favourite / most memorable / funniest 'career in tech' moment so far?

My funniest moment was when I sent wrong emails to customers that were not affected by any issue at all. Luckily the customers took it lightly with humour instead of causing anxiety and also due to small number of customers it was controlled later on.

And to wrap up, is there any advice you'd like to give to others interested in a career in tech?

My advice is to always stay curious, love problem solving, communicate and network with others in the industry. Learn from your mistakes and make sure you document everything you learn and achieve throughout your journey. Learn to have fun while solving problems and be open to learn from others and your team.