Page 44 - Careers in Mathematics

Aeronautical Engineer transportation services in a specific metropolitan using
I have always
loved mathe-
matics.
Throughout
Puseletso
my school
career it was
my favourite
Maseko
subject, and
I know that whatever academic and
career journey I would embark on
later in life would have mathemat-
ics at the core. When it came to
choosing what to study at university,
Engineering seemed like the obvi-
ous choice as I enjoyed solving
problems. The science behind aero-
nautics intrigued me even further.
Hence, I studied Aeronautical Engi-
neering.
I obtained a Bachelor of Science in
Aeronautical Engineering, as well as
a Master of Science Engineering
from the University of the
Witwatersrand. I am currently
enrolled for a PhD, researching
urban air mobility, which involves
looking at passenger or cargo air
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various degrees of automation.
While a degree in Aeronautical Engineering provides a wide
range of career opportunities, at the end of the day, it comes
down to what you want as an individual. For example, I kicked
off my career as a junior engineer, performing stress analysis
on aircraft structures. I then got involved in research projects
of crewless aerial vehicles (UAV) which investigated
controlling an uncrewed helicopter in the event of engine
failure. I then left the Aviation industry entirely and became a
financial modeller for a management consulting firm. But I
have gone full circle and am now back working in the aviation
industry and loving it.
I work for the South African Civil Aviation Authority as a
Certification Engineer focusing on exemption applications and
regulatory development. The aviation industry can apply to be
exempt from any regulation and my job is to evaluate such an
application to ensure it will not pose any serious or imminent
risk to air safety and security.
As you can imagine, I must keep up-to-date with trends and
research in my field. I do so by frequently attending training
covering a wide range of topics, including aviation safety, civil
aviation management, and learning on the job through my
involvement in various projects.
What I enjoy most about my job is that my days are always
varied, so I am continuously being challenged and stretched. I
enjoy drafting aviation regulations which ultimately have an
impact on the industry.
Outside of work, I live an active lifestyle and exercise as often
as I can. I also love attending comedy shows for a good laugh.
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