Jessica Stone, Airbus

Finalist for the 2017 WISE One to Watch Award

29 September 2017

A love of taking things apart to understand how they work and a fascination with flight led me to taking Maths, Physics and DT A Levels with a view to study Aerospace Engineering at university. Having received no information about apprenticeships while at school, when I learned of the amazing schemes available a month before starting at university, I decided to take a year out in order to apply to Airbus. During this year I became a volunteer at Aerospace Bristol, the new Concorde museum, and was fortunate enough to work alongside some incredible engineers who had been involved in ground-breakingprojects. Hearing stories of their careers, and the technical advancement these men had contributed to, were huge inspirations to me and have pushed me to aspire to contribute to the world of Aerospace as they did.

I’m now an Undergraduate Engineering Apprentice at Airbus, completing my degree alongside a series of placements in engineering teams around the business. The scheme offers a rare opportunity to combine my academic studies with learning on the job, which has proven to accelerate both my practical and professional skills.

As I nearly missed out on this brilliant opportunity, I am focused on ensuring other young people receive the information they need to make informed decisions about their futures. As part of this, I am working with Aerospace Bristol to raise the profile of females in engineering and inspire the next generation, Skills West to look at how we can encourage more females into STEM, and, as well as visiting schools and spreading the word at careers fairs, I am involved with a number of local initiatives such as Airbus’s Flying Challenge and the Sir John Thompson Spirit of Aviation Academy to highlight to young people the importance of studying STEM subjects.

#WISEAwards2017 | Jess's One to Watch Takeover