Graduate Profiles Detail United Kingdom

Lawrence works for one of the leading companies in the futuristic eVTOL industry, producing fully electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft planned to be introduced in the next few years. Lawrence works on the systems engineering processes of these aircraft to ensure that they meet the standards required to fly legally and transport passengers safely.

I love the fact that I am involved in something that will change the world! These aircraft will revolutionise the nature of flying. They'll reach the stage where they will pick you up near your house, and, as they’re electric, they will be much more environmentally sustainable. It's almost like something from a movie! It’s great to contribute to something where, in 10 years or so, I will be able to say, I was one of the first people who worked on this!

It's actually my course at UWE which led me to becoming a Systems Engineer. I really enjoyed the Systems Engineering module, which is of course central to my role. However, the MSc also covered the high-level topics I needed to gain an understanding of the aerospace industry as a whole – and which remain essential to my job. For example, the airworthiness module was important as I need to know the legal rules I’m working towards; advanced manufacturing covered the latest manufacturing technologies; and the module on sustainability is very relevant to my role now with sustainable aviation.

The CPD element of the course focused on the benchmarks for becoming a Chartered Engineer. It taught me how to start recording the data needed for the application as soon as possible, and this has been instrumental in enabling me to became a Chartered Engineer in a relatively short space of time.

Communication skills are essential – just as important as technical skills. And this is especially the case for international students who need to develop their English language. My role constantly involves collaboration, working with a vast range of people from different backgrounds, and with different areas of knowledge. Take every opportunity you can during your studies to communicate with people and work with others. One of the key differences between my undergraduate and the course I did at UWE, is the amount of teamwork involved in my MSc. All the modules involved some kind of collaborative teamwork, and often working with experienced professionals, which also enabled me to start building contacts in my industry. This approach to learning has been invaluable for my career. What is more, at UWE there are so many societies and volunteering opportunities you can get involved with. These experiences really propelled my English language skills, which, in turn, were pivotal to my getting a job in the UK.