Meet Xander – A Year in Industry Student at Collins Aerospace
“You will do well if you make the most of your opportunities and put your skills to good use no matter the task”
Wise words from Xander who is undertaking a pre-university Year in Industry placement at Collins Aerospace. We asked Xander some questions about his experiences so far working in engineering at a manufacturer.
What first made you think “I want to get into engineering”?
I have always felt there has been a lack of Engineers and I wanted to contribute my skill set to help an Engineering business and make a positive impact. My father is a Chartered Engineer and he has driven and inspired me to join the community of Engineers. I also have a passion for managing, leading teams, dealing with logistical problems and making optimum use of my resources to get the most efficiency as possible. I enjoy having a role which involves communicating with other employees and tackling problems as a team.
Tell us about your life before Collins Aerospace.
If I could sum up my life before Collins Aerospace I would say ‘Active’. I was always wanting to explore new hobbies that could improve my personal attributes and to socialise with others. The best thing that changed my life as a young person was definitely joining the Royal Air force Air Cadets when I was 15 years old which gave me such an incredible experience with all the activities that they offered. It directly improved skills such as confidence, interpersonal, presentation and planning. These are all crucial for when entering into a job in Engineering and can elevate how well you perform in the workplace and outside of work.
What do you do day to day?
As a Year in Industry student at Collins Aerospace, I get involved in all sorts of projects and tasks. But I can tailor my work by speaking to the right people within the business. Everyday tasks can range from daily meetings to catch up on progress, completing documents, following processes to complete projects and going on site to conduct some testing on our products. I have plenty of support completing my work from my colleagues and have been able to put my skills I learnt from school and cadets into practice. Training is another aspect of the placement where you can learn something new whether it be business related or for self-improvement.
What would you say to an aspiring Engineering placement student?
It is all about gaining as much experience whilst being an employee at a business and understanding that you will not know everything when you first start out; no one starts off like that. Be able to accept feedback given by knowable employees and make the most of people who are able to help you become better. Finally, touching on COVID19, I would say personally I have still had a fantastic experience with Collins Aerospace and other than not going onto site everyday there has been minimal difference. I still get involved in exciting projects and would highly recommend a year in industry scheme for an aspiring Engineer.
Want to find out more about Collins Aerospace, the products they design, and some interesting facts about the company?