Name: Ruth Amos
Job Title: Inventor, Business Owner and Trustee
Organisation: StairSteady, Kids Invent Stuff, Made by Signature, Public speaking and consultancy, Trustee of Young Engineers and Greenbelt Festival
Number of years in current position: 10 years
Qualifications: GCSE and A Levels (Maths and Further Maths)
Briefly describe the organisation you work for.
StairSteady- The StairSteady acts as firm support for either climbing or coming down the stairs.
Kids Invent Stuff- Kids Invent Stuff is a YouTube channel that gives 5-11 year olds a chance to have their own invention ideas built by real engineers.
Made by Signature- Website design.
Explain what you do on an average day at work.
With a number of businesses each day is different. I travel a lot speaking and spend a few days a month in London. I have a number of meetings I have to attend as a trustee but a lot of the time I get to plan and manage my own time. I have some great teams of people that work with me and I spend my time spread across my different projects.
What do you like most about your job?
I love that each day is different, I get to work with some fantastic people and I get to meet so many young people when I speak.
What stimulated your interest in maths, and when?
I always enjoyed Maths at school, I like that there is often an answer and that Maths makes sense. I love a good spreadsheet and with business Maths is really important. I like a good puzzle and like nothing more than switching off with a Sudoko.
What influenced your career choice?
In 2006 I was Young Engineer for Britain with the StairSteady. The StairSteady was my first company and invention and it propelled me into a world of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Maths). You can hear my full journey in my TEDx Talk
Which skills do you consider to be essential for your job?
Some basic engineering and mechanical skills, maths, good communication, logic and problem solving.
Any advice you may have for other individuals considering your career path.
Take the opportunity to try and experience new things, ask lots of questions and remember that often a opportunity means more work, so find something that you want to do that you love.
