engineering careers  Milly Hennayake

Milly Hennayake

Milly Hennayake knows that simple engineering solutions can make a huge difference to the lives of others, building a cleaner, better world for all.

Civil Engineer Milly Hennayake first got involved with Engineers Without Borders UK at university. After working as a volunteer with them in the UK, she was sent out as a volunteer engineer to Nairobi to work with KDI, a Kenyan design and community non-profit working on innovative water management and sanitation projects in Kibera, one of the most densely populated slums in Africa.

Engineers without Borders UK are on a mission to focus the attention of engineers on making the world a better place. They’ve supported partners throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America to increase access to clean water, improved sanitation facilities, reliable energy sources and resilient built environments.

KDI is a design and community non-profit that partners with under-resourced communities to activate the unrealised potential in neighbourhoods and cities through design, planning, research and advocacy.

Milly Hennayake studied Civil Engineering at Cambridge University. She has worked with Engineers Without Borders to inspire train and support university engineers across the country to partner with international NGOs. She’s worked in Sierra Leone, Brazil, DRC and Kenya on development and engineering projects.

Milly is now working as a civil engineer for an engineering design consultancy Ove Arup Partners, working on surface water management and flood risk projects.

Route in Engineering

Engineering can seem like a distant goal. Watch now to discover how it was possible to achieve a career as an Engineer.

Everyone’s engineering journey has to start someone and if you’re someone who’s thinking about embarking on an engineering career pathway, we’ll give you the really good news first. There’s arguably never been a better time be an engineer.

You can find out more by reading our “Careers Guide“.


Learn more about the innovations and creative projects engineers are involved in by watching these “Were You Born to Engineer?” videos.

It does not matter what your interests and passions are, from sport to healthcare – there is an exciting and rewarding role for you in Engineering.

These videos have been produced by creative video producers duckrabbit, under the sponsorship of the ERA Foundation, the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

These videos are useful in the classroom, at master classes or residential courses, STEM clubs or any other forum when the excitement and opportunities of engineering are to be discussed. View our teaching resource page for offline downloads and more information.

They are free for use. Enjoy! Should you wish to download an HD version of any of these videos for off-line use, or indeed a loop of all the videos, please contact [email protected]