Halimatu Abubakar

SUPPORT ENGINEER, COLLINS AEROSPACE 

How I came to STEM 

During my time at high school, I was always interested in Maths and Science subjects. I had a particularly keen interest for Chemistry and Mathematics and so I research potential job roles in this area. That was when I decided to find out more. 

I went on to study my A-levels in College doing Sciences, Maths and Psychology. Although I was really good at psychology, I always drew closer to the science subjects and wanted to learn more in these areas. One day, I was searching online and came across Chemical engineering. It was intriguing and I wanted to be like the people I saw who worked on plants, developed new energy efficient products/services and ofcourse the famous hard hat! 

I went on to university to study BEng Chemical Engineering and this opened the door to many STEM career opportunities. I did an internship with Collins Aerospace (formerly UTC Aerospace systems) and it was an incredible insight into the world of aviation. I developed a very keen interest in Aeroplanes and aviation and I really wanted to learn how every part of the plant is put together to build the whole aircraft. From supply chain, to production and then customer relations, Collins offered a fantastic overview of the whole process including its Aftermarket division. Upon, graduation I was keen to come back and subsequently started my role on their Future Leadership Operations Graduate Scheme in 2017. 

Why I love what I do 

Joining the Collins Aerospace graduate programme has been amazing and an incredible journey. From my internship in 2015, I always knew I wanted to come back to work for the company. No two days are the same and I thoroughly enjoy that. From working in supply chain and understanding the impact of suppliers to learning about day to day operations working alongside the General Manager, I have been able to learn and understand the other side of engineering and how materials and things that have been designed by engineers are actually made and how they end up with customers. 

I thoroughly enjoy being part of operations and learning about the daily production stages of our products and I am keen to share my knowledge to many more young people. I am also a STEM Ambassador supporting the West Midlands region to encourage and promote STEM and motivate young people to learn more about STEM roles in day-to-day life. 

What I’m proud of, & what I’m hoping to achieve through the WYPB 

Being on the WISE YPB, I hope to be able to inspire a general of young girls and women who are looking for role models in STEM. As a member of the board, I am keen to engage and be actively involved in organising and hosting events to encourage young people into STEM subjects from a young age. I am very fortunate to also be part of an organisation that is also keen to support me in doing this. 

WISE has played an important part in my career and decision making and I am on a mission to also be impactful and to be an example to others using this platform. I believe that encouraging and promoting inclusivity, gender equality and diversity within STEM is important and I want to be part of the revolution to push for this change. 

Awards, Posts, Projects & Events