Alys Smith

"Alys is an Undergraduate Apprentice at Airbus, studying for a degree in Aerospace Engineering. She works in their wind tunnel analysing aerodynamics.Alys is a collaborative person, which is good as she works as part of a team in the wind tunnel at Airbus. It is important for her and her colleagues to be able to cooperate and work effectively together. Everyone on her team has a subject that they specialise in, but everyone also needs to understand a range of subjects to be able to do their roles. There is a huge variety in the type of tests they do and it's important for Alys to demonstrate her ‘Investigator’, ‘Explorer’ and ‘Developer’ types to think of new and creative ways to solve problems that arise."

"Alys works for Airbus, an aerospace engineering company that designs and manufactures aircraft. The company has a giant wind tunnel, which replicates wind flow so that aerodynamic tests can be carried out. Alys and her team use the wind tunnel to run tests from their own research, from the development team, and external customers who are looking to analyse the aerodynamic effects on an aircraft model. Each test is different, so this can vary quite a bit. Before a test starts, Alys needs to ensure the model is ready, and fits it in the tunnel. She makes sure the instrumentation is calibrated and working properly in advance of the tests. During the test, she runs the tunnel, collects the data and makes model changes. She really enjoys how varied the work can be and the problem-solving aspect of it. The results of her work are used to improve the design and safety of the aircraft that the company is manufacturing."

"Alys’s mum was a maths teacher, she inspired her initial interest in Maths. Alys completed A-Levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics and most enjoyed doing Maths, and in particular Mechanics. She was then looking for a role that was challenging and technical and applied for the Undergraduate Apprenticeship at Airbus with a starting salary of about £15,000. She is now studying for a degree in Aerospace Engineering paid for by her employer. The apprenticeship has meant that she has been able to work and study for her degree without building up a debt, she is gaining experience through her work and is already well on her way in her career.Alys would advise trying to do a bit of engineering or science outside of school, whether that's looking at car engines, fixing your bike, astronomy or anything that interests you so that you can build up your skills and confidence and realise that it is an exciting area to work in."

"Alys enjoys a lot of sports including cycling, skiing, climbing, and she plays hockey for a local team. She also enjoys going to music festivals with friends. Alys is proud to be a Welsh-woman and is in fact a fluent Welsh speaker. She also loves to go travelling when she gets the opportunity! Airbus have wind tunnels in Germany and France which are used regularly, and she may have the chance to visit those one day. In the future, Alys hopes to be an experienced and knowledgeable test engineer involved in interesting and exciting projects locally and around the world."