Isabelle Cabana

I am part of Cohort 12 of the Engineering and Technology Rotation Program at Collins Aerospace. This program allows young engineers to try out different jobs around the company and find what's the perfect fit for them. I am currently working as a Composites Technology Development Engineer with the Applied Research & Technology division.

I knew around middle school/high school time that I needed to choose a career path. I spent time thinking about what interested me and found that I wasn't good at history, art, or even english literature (despite english being my only language). I knew engineering interested me and I knew I would never get bored or feel unsatisfied doing a career in engineering. I was also lucky that my high school had some introductory engineering classes and a robotics team that I could sign up for. It was largely my involvement in high school engineering opportunities that led me to choose a degree and career path in engineering.

I grew up in San Diego, California and went to University of California, San Diego for a B.S. (Bachelor of Science) in Structural Engineering with an emphasis on Aerospace Structures where I got to do hands on projects with carbon fiber.

My daily work schedule consists of finding the latest composites technology and seeing how we can implement it on airplanes you see today.

Everyday I get to learn something new and it almost always interests/intrigues me. Which makes me feel better about having chosen an Engineering career because that's what I was worried about when choosing a career. I am also doing something different everyday which helps with burnout that I dealt with in college.

I am most proud when my upper management recognizes and rewards my hard work that I often think goes unnoticed.

My biggest challenge has been to overcome the fact that I do not know everything. I say this because it means that I have to work twice as hard to dig for the information I need or look for the person/resource that has this information. I have to rely on those around me who have 30+ years experience to inform me of background information/history that I would not have learned unless I talked to a person. This also reminds me that I cannot work solely alone and that things get done when you are a good team player.

I also had to get used to talking on the phone, which I still get a little anxious about.

My family has moved up and down Southern California throughout my childhood because my dad was in the Navy. I have a mother and father who are still married, an older brother and older sister which made it easier growing up for me.

Short term goal (1-2 years): Continue gaining technical knowledge and experience and move into a design engineering role since my current position does not have any design responsibilities.
Long term goal (5-10 years): Move into a managerial role or become a subject matter expert that people can rely on for expert opinions.

My mom inspired and always pushed me to be smart and independent.

If your school offers STEM events/clubs, I highly encourage you to try them out even if you feel like you don't know enough. If your school does not have these offerings, try asking friends/family/teachers for advice on activities you can do. Coding is also a large part of being an Engineer so try making your own website (not using those website building services) or try out some 3D modeling software and try to recreate something you own (you can find free options that you don't need to download online).

I like to workout with my friends and have game nights with them. I have also been very invested into Animal Crossing New Horizons.

For any project that you do, whether it's for school or just a personal hobby, try to take pictures and track what you do throughout the project. It will not only provide proof that you worked on the project but also give you something you can look back on and remind yourself of what you have accomplished. Awards and Trophies don't always remind you of all the hard work you put into achieving them.