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As a part of the Test Equipment/Test Systems Software, our team is responsible for maintaining and updating the flight software that goes onto different products in an aircraft. Each person is usually a specific product focal for different customers and are responsible for carrying out the updates such as software design and integration to testing. Everyone in the team is involved in a full Software Development Lifecycle from requirements to verification and release. Due to the short nature of TE lifecycles, there are various opportunities to work on multiple projects within different stages of an aircraft lifecycle, from R&D (Research and Development) to NPI (New Product integration) to Sustainment. Each product goes through rigorous verification to ensure everything that makes the product useful and functional works as expected and any errors are caught beforehand. As Test Systems, quality and safety is our topmost priorities as we ensure that the products being shipped out to our customers are of the highest standard as there is no room for mistakes in the field, we’re in.

- requirements elicitation - technical documentation - software engineering review process in aviation industry - development (autohotkey, python) - communication and other interpersonal skills - code inspection and scrutiny - using different engineering workflow management tools - responsibility, management and leadership - professional commitment and improved work ethic

Three months into my rotation in this team, an early careers apprentice joined us, who did not have a software background and had never done a software related rotation previously. I was tasked to be his point of contact throughout their rotation. While I was still learning and shadowing people occasionally, being somebody’s point of contact also meant I needed to be better prepared for any questions and doubts they might come to me with and it would be my responsibility to ensure they are satisfied with my answer and truly understand the solution to what they initially asked for. From explain each step of the review process (software release) to them shadowing me in my own software releases in order to get a sense of how everything is done, I felt responsible for teaching them and managing their tasks to the best of my abilities. Me teaching and guiding somebody whilst learning myself helped me solidify my own understanding about the concepts behind each stage in a software engineering life cycle while giving me the first insight into managing and being responsible for somebody else.

The first quarter of my placement (June – September) involved me learning the ways of the team and the way we carry about the various tasks and operations and the overall business. - This involved shadowing my colleagues to achieve a deeper understanding on what is done on a day-to-day basis with intensive notetaking for future purposes and getting necessary training required to the job. - I was involved in full software releases, being delegated short tasks time to time, under the guidance of my colleague, to prepare me to handle independent releases going forward. - This was an interesting and exciting period as I had the chance to look at and be a part of various different stages of a software release, such as verification testing and the sheer intensity of how meticulously it is done, with attention to great detail, was astounding and intriguing for me since I haven’t seen anything like that ever, let alone actually experience that. - This period was also the time where I was introduced to different people that I might work/interact with going forward.

Very warm and welcoming. I have not once felt like I was an outsider or i did not belong. My manager and my team have made me feel like I was important and a team player from day one and all mu suggestions and inputs have been deeply valued.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my placement with GE Aerospace and could not have asked for a better placement experince.

Yes

Be honest and open during the application process and own your weaknesses.