Aboobakar Shahjahan from Kumily in India is a graduate of the BEng Aeronautical Engineering degree at University of South Wales. He now works as a Senior Components Repair Coordinator for Emirates.

Why I chose the aviation industry

"I first went on a plane when I was 21-years-old. Like many other kids, I was fascinated by the roar of an aircraft as it soared through the sky. I never lost that love of aircrafts and as I grew older, I became just as interested in the engineering aspect of planes.

By the time I completed my schooling, I was sure of where I wanted to be. Working with aircrafts is both thrilling and responsible. As the old joke says: A surgeon might be holding a single life under his knife at a time, but its hundreds of life that rely on the expertise of aeronautical engineers during a flight!

I chose to study abroad and get a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from a British University.

Throughout my studies, I benefited from USW running simultaneous courses in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering on the same campus in Treforest. Well-equipped labs with facilities to conduct test on aerodynamics, fluid dynamics structural dynamics helped me to build a strong foundation in engineering.

Great facilities

Industry standard computational softwares like ANSYS and PHOENICS and designing softwares like AUTOCAD and SolidWorks helped me to advance my skills even further.

The flight simulator helped me to simulate flight conditions and study how the design of aircraft has an impact during its flight. What's more, the library was well equipped with book and articles on both aircraft design and maintenance.

In 2013, I secured a placement with GE Aviation Wales as an Operations Intern. The placement formed part of the  sandwich programme in Aeronautical Engineering at University of South Wales. I worked in the strip and assembly line of GP7200 commercial aircraft engines, managing the daily shop operations. It was an incredible experience, learning how thousands of part come together to form an aircraft engine.

Being an international student in a country less familiar opens up a lot of exciting challenges. The community of students in USW is multicultural, which means you mingle with people coming from different parts of the world. Wales itself is a place to be explored for its culture, tradition and beautiful landscape.

I really enjoy my job. Emirates have always given me opportunities to grow and excel.

Besides, there are always benefits of working for an airline. Concession tickets for you and family to your favourite holiday destinations and hotels at discounted rates to name just a few!"