Education as an investment – from Aadyah Aerospace to Cranfield Defence and Security
14/02/2017
![ASRAAM Missiles Fitted to RAF Typhoon Jet ASRAAM Missiles Fitted to RAF Typhoon Jet](https://blogs.cranfield.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Guided-weapons-CC-2016-1-scaled.jpg)
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!
Image © Crown Copyright 2016
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Keren Tuv: My Cranfield experience studying Renewable Energy
Hello, my name is Keren, I am from London, UK, and I am studying Renewable Energy MSc. My journey to discovering Cranfield University began when I first decided to return to academia to pursue ...
3D Metal Manufacturing in space: A look into the future
David Rico Sierra, Research Fellow in Additive Manufacturing, was recently involved in an exciting project to manufacture parts using 3D printers in space. Here he reflects on his time working with Airbus in Toulouse… ...
A Legacy of Courage: From India to Britain, Three Generations Find Their Home
My story begins with my grandfather, who plucked up the courage to travel aboard at the age of 22 and start a new life in the UK. I don’t think he would have thought that ...
Cranfield to JLR: mastering mechatronics for a dream career
My name is Jerin Tom, and in 2023 I graduated from Cranfield with an MSc in Automotive Mechatronics. Originally from India, I've always been fascinated by the world of automobiles. Why Cranfield and the ...
Bringing the vision of advanced air mobility closer to reality
Experts at Cranfield University led by Professor Antonios Tsourdos, Head of the Autonomous and Cyber-Physical Systems Centre, are part of the Air Mobility Ecosystem Consortium (AMEC), which aims to demonstrate the commercial and operational ...
Using grey literature in your research: A short guide
As you research and write your thesis, you might come across, or be looking for, ‘grey literature’. This is quite simply material that is either unpublished, or published but not in a commercial form. Types ...