Concluding her military career as a Regimental Sergeant Major in the British Army and now Programme Delivery Lead at DXC, Lucy knows a thing or two about progression.
Lucy served for 24 years in the Royal Engineers. She joined as the fifth female solder in the Corps as a Plant Operator Mechanic. 23 years later, Lucy became the first female Regimental Sergeant Major.
She successfully climbed the ladder in the forces and has now taken on a senior position at DXC. Lucy’s story is inspiring.
In this article, we cover:
- The importance of networking and mentorship
- Life on a male-dominated career path
- Fostering resilience
- Advice for women in any male-dominated industries
- Knowing what career to go into when you sign off
- Being a mother
Let’s dig into it. 👇
[Annabel] You’ve got a pretty incredible military career behind you.
[Lucy] Well, that’s the thing about the military, they were keen for me to progress. To be a non-commissioned officer, you would do a selection course and then if you are successful, you would then become a captain and continue. They champion progression.
You were doing very well for yourself, so why did you leave?
I pretty much decided that it wasn’t what I wanted to do anymore. I found it tough for my son specifically, with all of the moving about. He was finishing his GCSEs, so I had to decide with him in mind.
I had a few options, one of which was to get involved with Redeployable. However, I decided that I needed to start in a larger company to familiarise myself with the commercial world, so I started looking for a role.
I'd done qualifications in the background but didn’t have a role or position I was set on. I'd done CPD during my time in the military, which included a PgDIP level 7 in business management, followed by a CIPD HR course. I kind of knew I wanted to be involved in business, but just wasn't quite sure what that would look like.
And then it was just down to pure networking.
Ben has been my biggest champion. He did a fantastic post on LinkedIn, which he's done many times for me. It got incredible traction. It blew up, and then people from different sectors approached me. It sparked a conversation with somebody from the company that I work for now.
That’s amazing.
What was amazing, too, was how many people just wanted to support me. There genuinely were a lot. Even my very first commanding officer, who was posted to Germany in 2001, saw the post, reached out to me, and supported me through my CV writing.
The power of networking! Also, it is super impressive that you’ve killed a male-dominated career path, you should be proud. What was that like when you first joined the military?
I was 17 when I joined the army and was thrown straight into the lion’s den. I hate admitting this, but I joined the Royal Signals for only about four weeks when I saw the Royal Engineers across from our accommodation block.
They were getting thrashed and ran senseless. They carried the most weight, were the fittest, and ran the furthest. I felt like it was something I could do, too, and I had a light bulb moment and transferred.
That was a brave thing to do at 17.
Well, yes, I must have been crazy. I don't reflect enough, but one day I will.
It was tough. I wasn't allowed to stay in their accommodation because I was the only woman, which has been a trend throughout my career.
When I first joined, a few people didn’t want women in the Royal Engineers. They didn't think we belonged, specifically the soldier element. As officers, we’d been allowed to join probably twelve months before, but the numbers were minimal.
I was the fourth or the fifth woman to ever join the engineers as a soldier.
Were there moments when you regretted your decision?
No, I loved it. I think if I hadn't been resilient, I would have had some regrets. But there's no way on earth I would have managed to complete a 24-year career in the Royal Engineers without being resilient.
My competitive nature was also important. I say that because many people in the military are pushing for promotion, and there are a lot of great people.
I always wanted to prove that I was capable of being successful in my career. I think that's been the key ingredient for my success: my competitive nature.
Love that. Do you think your approach to progression was impacted by the fact that you were the only woman?
No, I don’t think so. I’ve enjoyed working with men, it's had its challenges, but I've enjoyed it and I never think too much about the fact I was outnumbered.
But what I do think about quite regularly, especially as I've progressed up the ranks, are the young ladies coming through now who are 17 or 18 years old and probably feel a bit different. Just because I don't think anything of it, and I didn’t find it difficult, doesn't mean that everybody else doesn't.
And actually, even the tech industry is predominantly male-orientated. We’ve got some fantastic young ladies coming through their early careers, and I just try to always be alive to the fact that not everybody is the same as me. I tend to keep an eye on and make sure that people are okay, and be an ear if someone wants to chat. Thinking back to my time in the engineers, some of the younger girls needed to have a chat now and again when they were finding it particularly difficult.
Do you have any advice for those young women?
Just be yourself and don't feel like you have to change to fit in.
You’re incredible as you are yourself, and don't be intimidated by people, because if you do a good job, you're going to achieve great things.
That’s great advice, always back yourself! Easier said than done, though. Did you ever doubt yourself, or have you ever suffered from imposter syndrome?
No, in my younger years, there was never a moment where I ever questioned my ability.
What I will say is, when I secured the two positions in particular that I'd always wanted to do; Squadron Sargeant major and Regimental Sergeant Major. That’s when I maybe felt it a little bit, I wanted to do a good job.
You’re always going to have a little self-doubt when you leave a 24-year career. Without a doubt, I questioned myself when I first left, but I’m a quick learner and I’m loving civilian life.
But your military experience has given you the skills you need for your job, it’s not like you’ve started afresh!
True. And I think the man who brought me into DXE, he was very clear, he's bringing me in for my leadership experience, the work that I've done. I think that reassured me as to why he wanted to bring me in.
For sure, your experiences from the military will be of huge benefit to the company you’re in now. Ok, so finally then, what does success look like to you?
Feeling satisfied with myself about what I've achieved. Only a small % of people achieve the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major, and when I think about that, I feel successful.
I also feel successful that I've been able to complete a career in the military whilst also having a young son growing up. I mean, he's gone from 0 to 16 in the military. I'd like to be a role model to other women in the military who've seen me be a mum and do it both.
I think you should never think because you want to be a mum that you can't also have a successful career. And I think for me that one of my highlights is that I've been able to do both.
You’re a great role model. Thanks, Lucy. [End of interview]
I’m sure you’ll agree that Lucy’s story is hugely inspiring. Not just for women, but for anyone looking to progress.
From our conversation, here are the key takeaways:
- Networking is an extremely valuable tool, don’t underestimate it.
- Find yourself mentors to help guide you.
- If you want to do something, then you should go for it.
- Remember your military experience is highly valuable, don’t doubt yourself.
- You can be a mother and have a successful career.
If you’re reading this, you’re already on LinkedIn. So start networking, find yourself a mentor. And if you’re not yet using Redeployable, get signed up.
We’ve got a huge new launch upcoming which will help you connect with inspirational people like Lucy to drive your career forwards.
