Wedoany.com Report on Feb 24th, Last year, a spaceplane developed for experimental hardware at California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) flew in Christchurch. Yelena Cunningham, a 21-year-old manufacturing engineer from New Zealand, watched closely, as components she helped manufacture were onboard.
Yelena, a graduate mechanical engineering apprentice from Dawn Aerospace in Christchurch, played a significant role in manufacturing components for the CalPoly spaceplane flight last June. She said that seeing her work progress from technical drawings to physical parts and then become part of a flying vehicle was a defining moment. "Seeing it and knowing my parts were on it was just incredible. That was really cool."
Yelena produces high-precision parts in Dawn Aerospace's machining workshop, supporting the manufacturing of global aerospace hardware. Her career path has been shaped by hands-on experience. While in Year 13, she worked part-time at two workshops and later transferred to Dawn Aerospace during her apprenticeship. She credits the company's team for supporting on-the-job learning, allowing her to use the best machines, work on programming and CAD, and patiently guiding her through her studies.
Annelies Powell, Head of Brand and Spaceplane Marketing at Dawn Aerospace, stated that the company's learning culture is deliberately cultivated and is closely linked to the speed required for innovation. Yelena was involved in manufacturing hardware for the propulsion system. Her story highlights the value of finding passion early and receiving strong support.
Yelena recently completed her studies in the machining specialization of the New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 4). Her training advisor, John Nortman, supported her in changing employers mid-way and encouraged her to pursue further studies. Although women are underrepresented in the engineering field, Yelena said she has not encountered any obstacles in the workshop and hopes more young women will consider careers in manufacturing and mechanical engineering. She takes a pragmatic view of the future, aspiring to grow into team leadership or management roles.
