Meet Renka Gaddu, Engineering Manager at Admiral Group!

Renka didn’t study Computer Science. She didn’t always know what she wanted to do. In fact, she started her career in accounting and auditing before realising it simply wasn’t right for her.

“I realised it just was not me. It just, it wasn't something I enjoyed, something I could see myself long term in.”

That realisation eventually led her to coding. After researching the different paths available, speaking to people already working in tech and doing some shadowing, Renka decided to take the leap.

She completed a coding bootcamp before joining Capital One, where she was supported by a mentor from day one. That mentorship became a defining part of her career. For Renka, having someone who understood where she was coming from made a huge difference.

“I'm one of those people, I feel guilty asking someone for help. And I almost feel like I'm probably annoying them or this is going to be awkward conversation. But knowing that I've got one person assigned to me that dedicated to supporting me... It just gave me that sense of calmness, like there's someone who I can talk to, there's no judgement there.”

It’s a brilliant reminder that mentorship isn’t just about giving someone advice. Sometimes, it’s about giving someone the confidence to ask questions in the first place.

So, what does an Engineering Manager actually do?

Renka currently manages engineers across multiple teams, with her role split across managing, delivery and capability. Her work involves everything from mentoring, coaching and supporting career progression to improving quality, testing and ways of working. One of the projects she has particularly enjoyed working on has been performance testing at Admiral. The aim is to make sure customers have a smooth experience when using Admiral’s applications, particularly when getting an insurance quote. As Renka explained:

“We want to make sure that the customers are not just having a great experience when it comes to, you know, functionality or visually how it looks, but the actual performance of application as well.”

It’s a great example of why careers in tech are so much more varied than the stereotype suggests. In fact, that stereotype was something Renka was keen to challenge.

Don’t wait until you’re ready

When asked about the best career advice she’d ever received, her answer really stuck with me.

“Don't wait for the opportunities, find the opportunities.”

As a junior engineer, Renka was encouraged to look beyond the work directly in front of her and identify where she could make a difference. And importantly, those opportunities didn’t have to be huge. One of her first examples was simply noticing that the team’s testing devices hadn’t been refreshed for two years. She created some documentation suggesting a better process and took it to the wider team.

“It was literally just a document, but that just gave me a bit more confidence.”

That’s something I think is particularly valuable for anyone early in their career. You don’t need to completely transform your organisation to make an impact. Sometimes, spotting a small problem and taking the initiative to solve it is enough to get your name out there.

As Renka put it: “Confidence comes with experience. Not before.”

You don’t need to know everything

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from my conversation with Renka was her message to women who are interested in tech but aren’t sure they’re qualified enough to start.

“You don't need to know everything.”

Renka believes curiosity, willingness to learn and the confidence to put your hand up are more important than knowing every programming language or piece of syntax.

“If you've got the right mindset and you've got the curiosity, the willingness to want to do it. I think the rest can follow on.”

And that applies beyond tech too.

Renka’s own career proves that you don’t have to have everything mapped out at 18, 21 or even 30. You can change direction, learn something completely new and build a career you never originally imagined. From Maths graduate, to accountant, to junior engineer, to principal engineer and now Engineering Manager, Renka’s journey is a brilliant example of what can happen when you stay curious, find your own opportunities and don’t let not knowing everything stop you from starting.

And if there’s one thing I took away from our conversation, it’s this: You don’t need to know exactly where you’re going. You just need to be willing to take the next step!