# Oser sa transition, révéler son potentiel. | Nisrine Elkettani | TEDxESITH Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz_CUm28efY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/xz_CUm28efY Generated: 2026-02-09T17:35:21.593+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Nisrine Elkettani concludes that overcoming the fear of making the wrong decision, especially when transitioning careers or fields like moving from pure social sciences to a technical field like Civil Engineering (Materials Science), requires courage and accepting that failure is part of the learning process, as she successfully navigated her own transition despite societal expectations and the initial challenge of not having the necessary technical background. **Key Points:** - Elkettani made a significant career transition from Social Sciences (Sociology/Anthropology) to Civil Engineering (Materials Science and Ceramics) starting in 2017. - Her initial challenges included the lack of technical background and facing skepticism from colleagues who were exclusively male in the construction/engineering sector. - The speaker emphasizes that taking risks and making incorrect decisions (like choosing the wrong initial specialization) is crucial for growth, as long as one learns from them. - She advises the audience to develop courage to pursue paths that feel right, even if they deviate from established norms or require a significant learning curve. - Elkettani highlights that societal validation often lags behind personal ambition, citing a personal experience where she had to convince others of her capabilities in a male-dominated field. - The core message is to trust your inner conviction ('do what you can') rather than being paralyzed by the fear of failure or external judgment, especially when embracing challenges. - She successfully completed her Master's degree in 2020 and is now working as a technical manager in the construction materials industry. ![Screenshot at 00:08: The speaker, Nisrine Elkettani, stands on the TEDx stage with large 'TEDx' letters behind her, beginning her presentation about overcoming career transition hurdles.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xz_CUm28efY/00-00-08.jpg) **Context:** Nisrine Elkettani delivers a TEDx talk recounting her professional journey, which involved a challenging pivot from studying social sciences to pursuing a career in the highly technical field of Civil Engineering, specializing in Materials Science and Ceramics. She discusses the internal and external barriers she faced, particularly navigating a male-dominated industry and overcoming self-doubt stemming from her non-traditional academic background. ## Detailed Analysis Nisrine Elkettani recounts her professional trajectory, emphasizing the difficulty of switching from a social science background to a highly technical field like Civil Engineering, specifically Materials Science and Ceramics, which she began in 2017. She notes that this transition required overcoming significant internal hurdles, such as self-doubt and the fear of making the wrong choice, and external challenges like navigating a male-dominated industry where she initially lacked direct technical experience. Elkettani shared that her first internship was difficult because she was immediately placed in a role requiring technical knowledge she hadn't acquired yet, contrasting with her social sciences background. She learned that the key to success was not avoiding mistakes but learning from them quickly. She stresses the importance of developing courage to pursue what aligns with one's vision, even if it means stepping outside conventional paths (like moving from social sciences to engineering or entrepreneurship). She explicitly states that many people around her, including those in social media and even some colleagues, were skeptical of her ability to succeed in engineering after her initial specialization choice. Her core advice is to focus on personal growth and action ('Do what you can') rather than waiting for external validation or fearing failure, asserting that the challenges she faced ultimately led to her success, including obtaining her Master's degree and working as a Technical Manager in construction materials. ### Personal Background and Transition - Studied Social Sciences (Sociology/Anthropology) - Switched to Civil Engineering (Materials Science and Ceramics) starting in 2017 - Completed Master's in 2020 - Currently a Technical Manager in construction materials. ### Challenges Faced - Initial internship required technical knowledge she lacked - Faced skepticism from male-dominated construction/engineering field - Experienced self-doubt about her career path. ### Key Lessons Learned - Failure and mistakes are inevitable and crucial for learning - Courage is needed to pursue non-traditional paths - Relying on internal conviction over external validation is vital. ### Advice to Audience - Do not limit yourself based on societal expectations or perceived lack of expertise - Focus on growth and action ('Do what you can') - Be aware that societal validation often lags behind personal ambition. ![Screenshot at 00:02: The exterior shot of the ESITH building, likely the location of the TEDx event.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xz_CUm28efY/00-00-02.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:08: The stage setup featuring large pink 'TEDx' letters and the speaker preparing to address the audience.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xz_CUm28efY/00-00-08.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:15: The speaker, Nisrine Elkettani, wearing a plaid suit and hijab, actively engaging the audience while holding the microphone.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xz_CUm28efY/00-00-15.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:35: Elkettani using hand gestures emphatically while describing the challenges she faced during her career transition.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xz_CUm28efY/00-00-35.jpg) ![Screenshot at 02:58: A close-up of the speaker as she reflects on her past decisions and the importance of self-belief.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xz_CUm28efY/00-02-58.jpg)