Student Spotlight - Abdalla Issa
“This was truly a life changing experience; I’ve learnt so much and I have met so many new people.”
Are you considering Aviation as a career? ✈️ Our Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Management degree is the only one of its kind in Scotland and is designed to produce graduate-calibre aircraft maintenance engineers. Now in his final year of the course, Abdalla chatted to us about his experience and shared his hopes for the future.
Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Abdalla Issa, born to Egyptian parents who relocated to Italy before my birth, granting me dual citizenship. Embracing a worldview that transcends borders, I consider myself a global citizen. I believe in the unity of humanity and see our planet as an interconnected entity, encouraging cooperation between human beings over beyond human-made borders.
What course are you studying at UHI Perth, and what year are you currently in?
Currently I’m undertaking my 4th and final year in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Management BSC (Hons). This long journey included the completion of all AST training, required for a B1.1 license, enabling me to apply and obtain my engineering license after just two years of work experience.
How did you hear about UHI Perth?
After finishing my high school in 2017, I wanted to work before starting a new learning journey. I worked in Italy, England, and Germany until 2020 when I decided that it was time for a new challenge. I started looking online for universities in all four countries until I came across this course which seemed to align with what I wanted to do. I got accepted and a couple of days later, I was driving all from Hamburg in Germany all the way to Perth, finding the Scottish dream!
What were you doing before you came to UHI Perth?
Right before starting the course, I was a Dispatch Instructor in Amazon warehouse in Hamburg. I was also attending classes to improve my German.
Why did you decide to pick this course?
I chose this course over all other courses because in addition to the degree, which is the academic side, it also had the possibility to work with AST to obtain my modules and learn the basic standards within the industry. I believe another reason to that is also the fact that I had never been to Scotland before and I liked the challenge of going somewhere new, meeting new people, and a new culture.
Has there been any standout/memorable moments from your course?
One of my favourite things about this course is the hands-on experience that we did throughout the four years of UHI and AST learning. Developing skills in software such as matlab, catia and Ansys CFD was fun, and I am confident that everything we have learned using these software’s will benefit me in the future, as it will be added to my extensive portfolio of skills I’ve gained throughout my learning journey.
One of my most memorable moments during this fantastic experience is my first AST exam which was physics, and it was two weeks after the beginning of the course. I remember studying all day, every day from the time I would leave class until I would go to bed. I got to the exam, and I was feeling confused, I knew that I had done a lot of work and that I had put a lot of effort in, but I wasn’t sure about how much work was required to pass these types of exams as they have 75% pass marks. I sat my exam, and I took my time on every question making sure it was perfect and calculations were 100% accurate. However, this taught me a valuable lesson because the time was up, and I still had about ten unanswered questions. I remember feeling sad and worried about passing the exam and at the time I thought that all my effort was lost. Despite that when we got the results a week later, I realised that I had achieved over 80%! This made me extremely happy. It was at that moment that I realised that this would be the start of an incredible journey that would have ups and downs but with hard work, determination, consistency and by putting in the effort that this course deserves, I would have accomplished one of the most challenging tasks in my lifetime.
What knowledge, skills and experience have you gained from your course that will help you when you leave UHI Perth?
During my journey at UHI Perth I have been taught valuable lessons, I didn’t just learn about aircraft maintenance as the course name might suggest. I was taught valuable life lessons that will live with me until the day I pass away.
Undertaking this learning journey has really changed my soul. I worked with some of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life, lecturers and fellow students contributed to my growth, shaping this journey, and making unforgettable memories that will last forever.
Taking a class representative position for our second and third year, has helped me communicate better with people and taught me how valuable it is to surround myself with people that care, love, or even hate. I learnt that it doesn’t matter what’s your background, where do you come from or where do you want to go, if we have a common goal and work together to achieve it, we will have problems along the way, but even going to the moon was once just a dream...
Have you undertaken a placement or work experience whilst at UHI Perth?
Up until now I have not undertaken any placements. However, AST offers the possibility of an eight-week placement with an airline company in a maintenance facility. This is called AMET. At the moment I am occupied with my dissertation and coursework however, AMET might be the thing to do right after everything has been submitted.
Have your lecturers been supportive during your studies?
Most of the lecturers I have met along the way were truly amazing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their effort and for the knowledge they have given me. They are the ones who directed me in the right direction every time I was lost, I would like for all of them to know that they truly have my outmost respect. Thank you for all the weeks you’ve spent teaching us about rocket science, jet engines, aerodynamics, or management. Thank you!
Any other achievements you have gained on your journey?
I believe that one of the most important things that this course have taught me is to live without the fear of failing, take steps forward, wherever the direction is, face life without fear. I learnt to be confident in my steps and whenever I make a mistake, assume my responsibility, learn from it, and never repeat it again.
Since summer last year, I decided to open a food business here in Perth because I learnt that everything is worth a try. The business has now been running successfully for almost a year and everyday that goes by, I realise just how much information I have learned during the past four years that I’m using now to run my own business, and for that I’ll be forever in debt with all the lecturers and fellow students that I have met along the way.
What do you like about the campus/facilities?
From my first day at UHI Perth, I noticed the diversity and inclusion that is on campus, a truly diverse and collaborative environment that prioritise personal and collective growth over division.
Have you enjoyed studying at UHI Perth? Any highlights?
This was truly a life changing experience; I’ve learnt so much and I have met so many new people. Some of the highlights that will stay with me forever are the aviation hub experiments or collecting data from flight on the flight simulator. Those little moments when we were all there struggling, but together, I think those are the best moment of this journey, knowledge, and friendships.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of your studies?
I definitely do, it might come as a surprise, but I do like engineering related work, I like to spend my Sundays fixing my car or laptop or anything else that require critical thinking. I also enjoy hiking, I love nature in general and I enjoy hiking in places where I’m submerged by nature, where I can forget about everything industrially made and enjoy a primitive life.
What are your future career plans?
At this point in time my plan for the future is increase the profitability of my business, employ reliable people to make it run smoothly and autonomously. I’ll then go work in the industry for a few years to gather funds, all while working on expanding this business. One day I’ll then open my own aircraft maintenance facility.
And finally, what advice would you give to someone thinking about studying at UHI Perth?
Well to the people thinking about studying here, I’d like to tell them: please enjoy, you’ll find lecturers that will help you along the way and students that are more than happy to assist you, you’ll never feel alone! Enjoy the journey and bear in mind that those years are some of the most important years in your life - go out there, be faithful, be curious, be humble, but most of all be happy!
