I started a little late in engineering, getting my firs job aged 29. I became a mid-level engineer a year later and have been there for two years.

I am most definitely soon on my way to a senior engineer position but I'm not convinced that is the role I would like to take.

My previous career was very 'people' focussed and included a lot of people and project management. As much as I enjoy the pure programming side, I would like to spend more time on the human and management side of things.

In my current and previous companies, the hierarchies were well defined: you'd get to senior engineering role and then move up to a management role and continue onwards. I imagine a number of those people never really wanted to manage but I suppose 'progression' beckons.

Does anybody have any experience of jumping this stage? I have proven management and people skills that are fairly rare in my current industry - or should I plough on through the senior engineering stage to understand the industry as a whole more?

UK based, if that is of importance.

Thanks!