Expanding Horizons: Transforming Aerospace, One Engineer at a Time

Growing up in the seaside town of Portstewart, Northern Ireland, Rosie McClelland's childhood curiosity about the sky and the machines that crisscross its vast expanse led her down a path less traveled by women. Today, as a graduate stress engineer at Spirit, she helps shape the future of flight and champions diversity within the STEM fields.

Rosie McClelland's journey into aerospace engineering began with a childhood fascination with planes. "As a 7-year-old going on family holidays, I was always very insistent on being in the window seat of the plane because I wanted to see how all the flaps and the hydraulics moved. I couldn't figure out why all the parts moved how they moved. I couldn't believe air was doing this."

This wonder laid the foundation for her future in aerospace engineering. Raised in a town known more for its natural beauty and award-winning ice cream than its technological advancements, Rosie's aspirations were fueled by her love of school and an innate curiosity.

"When I was in school, the only thing that brought me real satisfaction was working out math problems and working on physics equations. When I started looking into the different types of engineering [to study at university], I just couldn't get past aerospace," she explains. "It's just such a cool field. I'm a sucker for the romance of it."

But Rosie McClelland's story is not just about a successful path to becoming an aerospace engineer; it's a testament to the power of curiosity, dedication, and the pursuit of dreams.

Her contributions to Spirit's success

Despite starting at Spirit in August 2023, Rosie quickly established herself as a collaborative and innovative member of the A220 Wing team-the people responsible for designing Airbus's state-of-the-art, fully composite wing. Her work as a graduate stress engineer involves rigorous analysis and creative problem-solving.

"Our team oversees structural sizing. I specifically work on static analysis of structural components for the aircraft," she explains. "Basically, that ensures safe use in flight, under various load conditions that the customer provides. I work within specific margins of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to ensure that critical margins aren't being exceeded and that nothing breaks."

Rosie admits that she didn't fully expect the number of safety standards and the amount of certification and paperwork that comes with working at a place like Spirit. At the end of the day, though, she's grateful it's there. "It's all really reassuring, because when you get on an airplane, you want all of these checks to be in place," she says.

She has also been pleasantly surprised by the amount of autonomy Spirit gives its graduate engineers. She'll spend two years as a "graduate" engineer before losing the qualifier and just being an engineer, but her status doesn't reduce the expectations placed on her.

"Graduates are taken really seriously at Spirit," Rosie explains. "When I started, there was a big push towards training us up and getting us ready. [Training] was quite demanding, but it's a demanding job. We're called 'graduates' but based on our responsibilities and technical abilities, we're engineers. Spirit will always provide more training if we need it, but we're given a lot of independence to figure things out on our own."

As much as she loves her job, Rosie's aspirations extend beyond her current role. She is determined to become a chartered engineer and eventually lead projects that could redefine aircraft design. She admits her professional path is exciting and fulfilling, but the volunteer work she does with Spirit's talent acquisition team feeds her soul.

Spirit was a constant presence during the five years she spent studying in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Queen's University Belfast. The company routinely funded networking opportunities and sent guest lecturers to engage students and answer questions. So, when Rosie was asked during her Spirit onboarding whether she'd like to pay it forward, she didn't hesitate.

"Spirit was very involved in outreach efforts at Queen's [University] and in the community," she explains. "It was really important to me to get involved with that because I was inspired by similar events. I just keep saying yes whenever they ask because I love the events. I think they're brilliant."

Rosie hopes to use her knowledge and experience to inspire a new generation of engineers, especially young women. She wants to be there when they look up at the sky and realize they can contribute to its exploration.

Empowering future generations

Rosie's commitment to building interest in STEM for younger generations reflects her passion for engineering and her love of education. She recalls fondly a mathematics teacher-Miss Moody-who studied aerospace engineering at university and inspired her to pursue her dream.

"She was quite an important figure in me deciding to pursue aerospace," Rosie recalls. "She was so smart. The way her brain worked was the same way mine worked. We looked at problems the same way. And when I realized that she studied engineering and was now a teacher, it made me realize how versatile an engineering degree could be."

The potential to impact lives and spark imaginations motivates Rosie in her work with young, would-be engineers. Her enthusiasm radiates when she describes volunteering at an all-girls school in Ardoyne.

"It was just such a brilliant day. [The girls] made airfoils out of paper and these wee, low-tech wind turbines. They made helicopters from a rubber band, a stick, and a propeller. And they used bottles to make rockets. By the end of the day, they had grasped the fundamentals of aerodynamics," she recalls. "I think events like those are really needed to address the gender imbalance in STEM, but also to keep the spark and love for science, engineering, and technology alive."

She continues: "They were all boasting about how they would be engineers. One wee girl addressed me as 'Miss Engineer' and it was just really sweet. It was a full-circle moment for me."

These experiences help demystify engineering for young minds but also demonstrate the field's accessibility to everyone. Rosie is reminiscent of her journey into a career she has wanted since she was young. But she doesn't shy away from speaking about the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated field. She's candid about her challenges-from subtle biases to a perceived need to prove her capabilities-and how she sees them as opportunities.

"The main question students ask, time and time again, no matter where I am, is what it's like to be a woman in engineering," she says. "I tell them it can be hard. I think it would be foolish not to say that. But realistically, there are days that I forget I'm one of three women in our 24-person team because it doesn't really impact my day-to-day. It's incredibly rewarding to be a minority in engineering and be able to advocate for different groups and cultures in the industry."

Rosie's narrative underscores the significance of educational experiences that go beyond the classroom, preparing young engineers for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter.

A final word

Rosie McClelland's journey into aerospace engineering is a compelling narrative of ambition, determination, and the pursuit of excellence. Her dedication to her field is matched only by her commitment to nurturing the next generation of engineers through STEM outreach. Her contributions extend beyond technical achievements; she is helping to build a more inclusive, dynamic future for the industry.

To learn more about Spirit's outreach efforts or to get involved in its graduate engineer program, visit https://careers.spiritaero.com/.