Derk | Senior Mechanical Engineer

Derk graduated from the Aerospace Engineering programme in August 2000. After a few months as a Research Assistant at the Aerospace Engineering faculty, he started his career at Airbus as a Mechanical Engineer in January 2001 where he has been working since.

What did the Aerospace Engineering study look like when you were a student?
“Back in my day, the Aerospace Engineering study did look a bit different than it does right now. It was a four-year programme, which most people did in five years. The first year was the same for every student, after which you had to choose your specialisation in either aviation or space. During the last year or year-and-a-half you had to pick a specific department such as Aerodynamics or Structures and Materials. Once you had chosen the department to continue in, you would decide on a master’s thesis topic as the ultimate specialisation and dive into your own research subject.

I joined a student association with 1 year in the board and did an extended internship. Those activities were important to me, even accepting that the study took longer. It all taught me a lot, next to the normal curriculum. I especially enjoyed the second half of my studies, so more the master's part. I specialised in the structural aspects with topics like metal fatigue and fracture mechanics, but also more applied topics like how do you improve an aircraft structurally? I really enjoyed diving into those topics and working together with other students as well as professors. In fact, I am still in contact with people I met in that department back then, both for work and on a personal level.”

Why did you choose for the study Aerospace Engineering?
“To me, the aviation industry has always been interesting. At first, I was not too sure what my dream job within that industry would be. As a small child, I thought about becoming a pilot, but it was never my dream job. When I was around 15 or 16 years old, I realised that I found the design and engineering aspects of aircraft especially interesting. Even back then, I already had the airframe structures in mind when thinking of aeronautical engineering, which was indeed the most interesting part of the study to me.”

How did you experience being a student?
“I look back very positively on my time as a student. I learned a lot and experienced a lot. Of course, that differs between the phases of the study. The first part, where we had to do the courses, absorb the information and pass the exams, I do not remember it as the most exciting part of the study. Even though I can say that I still benefit of what I learned back then in my work today. In the second part however, you get to give your own input during both the internship and master's thesis. I really enjoyed this part especially, as I got to add my own valuable knowledge to already existing concepts or projects.

Of course, as a student, you also get to experience the freedom to explore yourself. You can decide to travel around and do your internship abroad. You can even attend conferences if you want. I got the opportunity to present my work at two conferences and that was an incredible experience. It is very interesting to meet this whole international community, its people, and their innovative ideas.”

How did you go about finding a job after your studies?
“Well, I studied Aerospace Engineering, so for me it was a logical continuation to work for an aerospace integrator company that brings together various components, systems, and technologies to create complete aerospace solutions like a full aircraft. I looked into Boeing and Airbus, and with Airbus being close-by in Germany, I decided to apply there. The application was successful, and I was able to start in Bremen. For me, that was a flying start of my career. You still see that students from TU Delft have a great start to their careers at Airbus. That is simply because TU Delft students already have the knowledge and skills that align with Airbus. Of course, there is still a steep learning curve once you start. There are still so many things to learn and to exploit, as soon as you embark in the aerospace industry. This is something still motivating me every single day.”

How did you experience going from being a student to being in the workforce?
“I have good memories of the start of this new adventure. The group of newcomers at Airbus were people coming from different countries, including the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, and England, united by technical interest and ambition. After work we spent time together in sports and going out. We had a very good time together, and it probably also helped with the transition from being a student to starting my career.”

How has the Aerospace Engineering study prepared you for your career?
“The Aerospace Engineering study definitely helped prepare me for my career afterwards in multiple ways. All the courses at the start gave me a solid foundation. My specialisation in Aerospace Structures and Materials after that helped me especially of course, as I decided to stay within that field. Often, when I just started, I would still open my books from my mechanics and structural analysis courses from time to time to check out some definition or equation. Not everybody will need most of the study material after graduating, but in my case, I really did use the knowledge I gained during my studies in my work afterwards.

Of course, it is not only the courses that prepare you, but also the mindset and way of tackling a problem that you learn during the studies. It was really useful to me to developing to think analytically. Solving a problem, to segregate it in the relevant parts and to look at it from multiple perspectives to find the solution that works best. These are skills you might develop unknowingly, but they are definitely important as well.”

Do you have a tip for future Aerospace Engineering students?
“To start the study Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft is a great choice. It is a great study in the continuously evolving field of aerospace engineering, provided by a worldwide highly recognised institute and staff. Of course, it is a challenging study, and at the start you may have to push through a bit. There will be some courses you will love, and some you will not like as much. But when you have gone through all the foundation courses, and you get to specialise in the topic that interests you the most, you can start doing exactly what you love most.

I admit, I am a bit biased as I work for an aerospace company, and this is the perfect study for that. But still, for me it was perfect, and I loved it.

Finally, within the aviation industry, there is the next challenge on how to make aviation more sustainable. If you are interested in aviation, it is now the right time to study Aerospace Engineering. Then, in a few years, you can help in evolving aviation to become sustainable!”