During every flight, Prisilla Johnson’s parents always closed their eyes at take-off and landing. But she’s always kept hers wide open in excitement. “I love to travel – I have always dreamed about becoming a pilot.”
But earning a pilot’s licence is costly, so Johnson has taken a logical route – she’s studying for an integrated master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), with pilot studies on the side. She’s already flown her 40 hours required to get a private licence with a UWE Bristol partner flying school in the US, and plans to gain a commercial licence after her studies.
Engineering seemed a natural choice for her – she’d always enjoyed science and was good at maths. “My teachers were very encouraging about this route, ensuring that I stay interested.”
When it came to looking at universities, it was the facilities at UWE Bristol that caught her attention – subsonic and supersonic wind tunnels for testing, well-equipped specialist computer labs, a flight simulator, 3D printing and materials testing facilities and more. “I liked that there seemed to be so much space for learning. Other universities seemed cramped by comparison.”
Group work has been challenging – her degree began with a project to perfect the shape of an aircraft wing. “We were able to use the wind tunnel to see how it performed – that was a good eye-opener into aerospace.” Many more projects have followed. “Being a team leader has really helped me understand how people work.”
She’s currently away from Bristol, in the final months of a year’s paid work placement at Jaguar Land Rover in Birmingham. “This year has been a real learning experience. You can go to all the engineering lectures you want but unless you see for yourself how it works, you won’t fully understand. But I’ve been able to use what I’ve learned in my degree so far – it shows UWE Bristol is teaching us the right things.”
Since last June, she’s been working as an engineer in the car maker’s plant launch department. “We’re the bridge between manufacturing and engineering and we deal with new model launches. I’ve been doing a lot of data analytics, looking at reports produced on the shop floor and putting these into an ‘easy-to-read’ format.”
A year in industry is part of the degree, and Johnson used UWE Bristol’s careers service to help perfect her CV – she found the placement herself through the Gradcracker website. She’s already completed three years of study, and in September will return to UWE Bristol for the final year to obtain a MEng in aerospace engineering. She’s looking forward to returning to student hours – working life in the Midlands begins at 7am. “You really get to understand the meaning of work ethic.” She’s been financially independent this year on a salary of £16,000. “I’ve even managed to save some money – I’ve found out about tax and how to manage my finances.”
On her return, she’ll pick up an individual project to create morphing wings – aerofoils that can change their shape during flight to improve aerodynamics and save fuel. “I’ve been looking at combining materials such as silicon and carbon fibre. I’m hoping to make a working model wing and analyse how it operates.” Having specialised in manufacturing, she enjoys working with UWE Bristol’s academic engineers. “Most of them have previous industrial experience – that’s a great advantage for us, they understand what the real world is like and they can help us with contacts.”
She’s always felt comfortable at UWE Bristol, where she joined the university’s Christian Union in her first year and remains a member. During her degree, she’s worked as a student ambassador and a mentor for younger undergraduates. Campus living suits her, punctuated with occasional trips into the city. “I come from a quieter town close to London, so it feels familiar – in my opinion, it’s in an ideal place. I’ve never felt homesick.” Come September, she plans to make the most of her final year in Bristol. “I’ve realised three years isn’t enough to see everything – my aim is to visit everywhere around.”
Not even being in a minority has phased her – women have made up roughly 10% of her overall engineering group, and she’s experienced a similar ratio at work. “But UWE Bristol has been a place where I’ve been able to grow from all the opportunities I’ve been given. We’ve developed together as a group, too – we’ve been through projects together. I wouldn’t take back any of it.”
