Industry Day at Collier Aerospace

Fellows, scholars, and interns supported by NC Space Grant had the unique opportunity to visit Collier Aerospace, with its engineering services office located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“Collier is seeking ways to expand student awareness of the company, what we do, and how we partner with the industry as a whole. Industry Day with NC Space Grant award recipients increases exposure to Collier as a company and industry partner and enables Collier to expand opportunities to connect with universities across the state,” says Olivia Scott, Aerospace Structural Engineer, Collier Aerospace.

“NC Space Grant supports workforce development opportunities for our students in cooperation with industry partners. Industry Day with Collier was a great way to expose students to the workforce environment, pathways, and opportunities with a key local industry partner,” says Sandy Canfield, assistant director of NC Space Grant.

Collier Aerospace is a leading provider of computer-aided engineering (CAE) software, offering structural tools, methods research, and software solutions to engineers across the aerospace industry. What began at NASA over 30 years ago has continuously developed into its flagship product, HyperX®. This software performs stress analysis and detailed sizing optimization, reducing the weight of aircraft and space launch vehicles fabricated with composite or traditional metallic materials.

Collier Aerospace also offers engineering services aimed to provide aerospace companies with technical training and software support, process development and automation, method development, and more. The engineering services department is led by VP Engineering Services James Ainsworth, a former NC Space Grant undergraduate research scholarship awardee and former advisory board member.

For Industry Day, students had the opportunity to meet members of the Collier team at their office in Raleigh, NC. These students gained greater insight into the aerospace industry, including how Collier Aerospace contributes to the industry as a whole through HyperX and structural engineering support. They met with smaller groups from the Collier team to learn about team culture, how to present academic work in job interviews, and the day-to-day life of a Collier Aerospace engineer. They also discussed Do’s and Don’ts for resumes, cover letters, interviews, and networking with Collier team hiring managers and young professionals who were themselves recent hires.

Bryce Abbott, former NC Space Grant recipient and Senior Aerospace Structural Engineer at Collier Aerospace, said, “I had the opportunity to connect with students and share resume and interview strategies during the NC Space Grant Industry Day career workshop. Our goal was to help students walk away not only with practical tools for crafting standout applications, but also with a clearer understanding of what companies like ours are looking for in future talent. Above all, we wanted to inspire confidence that with the right preparation and mindset, they can be successful when taking the next steps in their careers.”

“Many of the Collier Aerospace engineers in the Raleigh office are previous North Carolina Space Grant recipients, either through the career internship program with Collier Aerospace or through research grants. Any opportunity to engage with current North Carolina Space Grant recipients is always appreciated and well supported in our office,” says Scott. In 2022, Scott was an intern at Collier supported in partnership with NC Space Grant. She is currently a member of the advisory board. 

Since the internship partnership began, 60% of interns have been hired at Collier. In recent years, that number has jumped 89%. “If it weren’t for our partnership with NC Space Grant, Collier Aerospace wouldn’t have the footprint in Raleigh that we have today,” says Ainsworth.

To learn more about Collier Aerospace and its professional opportunities, click HERE.

If you are a company interested in partnering with NC Space Grant, please reach out to Sandy Canfield.