Education as an investment – from Aadyah Aerospace to Cranfield Defence and Security

I chose Cranfield because it was highly regarded in the organization I was working for – our director of Aerospace was a graduate from Cranfield University, and so were many of my colleagues. Moreover, MSc in Guided Weapons Systems is a flagship program at Cranfield Defence and Security and I am unaware of any other civilian university that runs this program. So the opportunity to work in a niche field was very appealing as well.  That being said, funding is always a cause of concern while choosing to study abroad, but I was taught to see education as an investment.  I figured that skillset I would develop, and the technologies and ideas I would be exposed to, would offset the tuition I pay.

My motivation for doing Guided Weapons Systems was Iron Man 😉 Upon graduation from my bachelor’s degree, I was accepted into the graduate program of a Spanish company. Under the program I got to live in Madrid for a year, travel around Spain and become fluent in Spanish. The program also introduced me to the aerospace sector. I interned with the organization for a year, working on different space projects for clients like European Space Agency. Though in retrospect I think it spoilt me a bit, I really miss the sun and the sand now. And I continued my career in the aerospace industry, with Aadyah Aerospace in India. Aerospace has a lot similarity in technology with guided weapons. So I guess it was a natural transition for me to make, when I chose to come to Cranfield University for the Guided Weapons MSc.

I’m really enjoying the course so far. It’s hard to point out just one thing to be honest. The healthy mix of civilian and military personnel in our cohort and the camaraderie we share with the professors is something I really enjoy.  The discussions in the class are always lively  with people adding their personal experiences in the field.

In addition to my studies, I had this wonderful opportunity to work for an Indian Defence start-up last year. I value the experience because I was mentored in technical aspects by the best brains of Vikhram Sarabhai Space Centre and in business by a Harvard graduate CMD. Being a small team we were pushed to our limits and, as a result, we shouldered responsibilities that were often quite different from our area of expertise. In the end, I think my learning curve increased exponentially whilst with the organization and it is an experience I really cherish.

I am just three months into my course, but I am sure I will secure employment with this degree, and my advice to anyone thinking of coming to Cranfield University is: if you think yourself to be talented, motivated and hardworking, Cranfield is the place to be. You’re spoilt by the choice of courses you can specialize in!

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