For the love of science

Imogen Carew's journey to becoming the deputy and quality manager at Analytical Laboratory Services, a privately owned multidisciplinary lab, started off with her choosing her field of study simply to avoid being taught by her brother, who was an accounting and business teacher.

“You won’t believe this, but I chose the science field just to avoid being taught by my brother at high school,” Carew said.

As a deputy and quality manager, her job involves overseeing the water, soil and microbiological departments.

Carew, who is the youngest sister of five brothers, graduated with a bachelors degree in B.Science with chemistry as her major at the University of Namibia (Unam) and immediately started her first job as an assistant lab technician at the university.

After eight months at the university, she started working at the agriculture ministry as a hydrologist.

One year later she received a scholarship to study in Germany – returning to Namibia as a qualified instrumental analytical chemist.

Growth and experience

Carew quickly took up a position at the City of Windhoek as an analyst at the Scientific Services department and worked as a technician for eight years before being promoted to section head for the chemistry department.

“In total, I was with the City for 13 good years, then I briefly worked for another company before landing the position I am in now,” Carew explained.

She said one of her biggest challenges was finding her feet in a male-dominated industry, especially on a management level.

“My biggest challenge is that, working in a male-dominated sector, you are sometimes not taken note of, and my small frame does not make it any easier,” said Carew.

According to Carew, there are certain skills a person needs in order to have a successful career in her line of work:

- Be an analytical thinker

- Organisational and time management skills

- Be a good planner

“Planning in the sense that if you work in a laboratory set-up you need to have your day or week planned otherwise you won’t get your daily tasks done,” she explained.

Even though Carew loves her line of work, for the mother of three, the ultimate dream is to live on a farm and spend her days doing what she loves most: spending time with her family away from the rat race.

When asked if she had any advice for the aspiring youth, Carew had this to say;

“Don’t put your focus on other people, what they have, etc. You have your own gift and talent, which you need to discover and develop, and this simply comes from doing what you love and doing it properly.”