Leonardo Moutinho Caffarello is a third-year physics student for the University of British Columbia at the Okanagan campus. Caffarello has been directing his studies towards building a career in applied physics, focusing on aerospace applications. His work at SKYTRAC centers around developing configuration files for several aircraft and software upgrades for terminal releases.
In September 2020, Caffarello began his career at SKYTRAC. Here is what he had to say about his experience with our team:
What type of engineering role did you take on at SKYTRAC?
As a co-op student for the embedded team, I have three primary responsibilities:
- Design aircraft configurations for the ISAT-200 based on the client’s needs and requirements -this allowed me to understand the possibilities of the ISAT and get lots of exposure with the aviation sector and several aircraft.
- Develop embedded code for the new products that SKYTRAC will be releasing and firmware upgrades for the currently supported products.
- Assist the embedded software team with the documentation required for the releases previously presented.
How was your experience working within the aerospace industry?
I came to Canada to get myself more involved in the aerospace sector, so getting this exposure during my undergraduate degree has been very important for my career growth. I was able to get more perspective on the processes and the level of verification required in this sector. Working on a project that will be flying – eventually was a huge motivation for me. After this experience, I’m very convinced that I want to have a career in the aerospace sector.
What did you like best about working with SKYTRAC?
Knowing that I’m working on a project that will fly in a real aircraft has always fascinated me. However, the thing I liked the most was learning so many different transferable skills. I was able to get exposed to various duties and responsibilities, and because of that, I was learning new skills throughout my entire co-op experience.
How did SKYTRAC provide meaningful work experience during your tenure as a Co-Op student?
I was very happy to know that my contribution as a co-op student was meaningful for SKYTRAC at many different levels. I was involved in meetings, projects, and troubleshooting, just like any other employee. When my training period was done, every project I worked on was relevant for the company in one way or another. During my co-op program, I felt more like a SKYTRAC employee than a co-op.
Will you be looking to further pursue meaningful work within the aerospace sector?
Absolutely! I joined SKYTRAC seeking hands-on experience in this sector to verify if this is really the sector I want to work with. I’m happy to say that I found the sector I want to develop and further my career around.
Would you recommend SKYTRAC’s Co-Op program to other students?
Yes! I am really happy with the personal, professional, and technical growth I could get during my co-op tenure. I was constantly exposed to new challenges, which was an essential part of this experience.
How has your perception of aviation changed before and after your co-op with SKYTRAC?
I was very surprised with the amount of documentation required for any aviation product. This showed me that the aviation sector can maintain a very high level of safety due to its processes and documents.
At SKYTRAC, our Student Co-Op Program is an opportunity for tomorrow’s leaders to receive hands-on learning in a real-world, mentored environment. We have various departments to help you define your ideal career path. If you would like to inquire about the co-op opportunities at SKYTRAC, please contact connect@skytrac.ca.
