Principal Mechanical Design Engineer – Christine Holmes
Today marks the beginning of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week! The campaign highlights to young people that engineering is a creative, problem solving, exciting career that improves the world around us.
Throughout the week we’ll be shining the spotlight on some of our fantastic engineers, highlighting the various engineering disciplines for Tomorrow’s Engineers.
Christine Holmes began her career at Cranfield Aerospace Solutions 10 years ago as a Junior Mechanical Design Engineer.
Background
With a background in motorsport, cemented during her childhood with a passion for racing, starting off in karts and progressing through to cars, Christine went on to complete a degree in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes University.
Before entering the world of aerospace, she held positions in various racing teams as a data engineer, and then moved into designing fuel cells for the motorsport industry.
CAeS Career
Since joining CAeS Christine has worked her way up from Junior, to Principal Mechanical Design Engineer. She takes customer requirements and works closely with other departments to make the customer vision a reality.
“I design parts/assemblies and installations for aircraft and then work together with workshops and hangar teams to ensure customer requirements are met and the design work comes to life.”
Her role sees her manage a team of nine, and work across an array of projects.
“I have been at Cranfield Aerospace in the mechanical design department for over 10 years, and I have enjoyed the challenge of every single project being different.
“I’ve been involved in everything from the modification of historic spitfires and hurricanes, designing fighter jet simulator seats, through to working at the cutting edge of technology with hybrid, electric and most recently hydrogen powered aircraft designs.
“I get involved with all stages of a project, from quotation and customer requirements, through to the full design. I get to see it come to life in the workshops and see my design work being installed on aircraft.”
Advice for Tomorrow’s Engineers
Christine offers some advice for anyone looking to pursue a career in engineering:
“If you enjoy figuring out how things work then a career in engineering could be for you. My advice would be to try and get ‘hands on’ experience as well as the theory educational side of things. This gives you a big advantage in understanding how things go together and are made when you are looking to design parts.
“Even if you haven’t studied the ‘correct subjects’ at school there is always a way in to engineering if you are dedicated and hard working.”
If you’d like any further advice or have any questions regarding a career in engineering please email Thoughts@cranfieldaerospace.com.