Introduction​ ​

In this inspiring episode host Jessica Okoro sits down with Zahrah, a project engineer at Honeywell Aerospace. Zahrah shares her unique journey from playing basketball to pursuing a career in aerospace, offering valuable insights into the transferable skills gained through sports, her experiences in the STEM field, and how young people can carve their paths in this exciting industry. If you’ve ever wondered how to bridge the gap between your passions and your profession, this conversation is for you.

Segment 1: Overcoming Challenges

Zahrah discusses her journey into the aerospace industry, the initial struggles she encountered, and the mindset that helped her push through them. Despite facing early rejections, Zahrah emphasizes the importance of not letting “no” be a barrier, but rather a stepping stone to future success. She shares her experiences of perseverance and how resilience helped her land her current role at Honeywell after initially being told “no” in 2018. She stresses that setbacks are a normal part of growth and that the key is to keep trying, learning from past experiences, and not giving up.

Segment 2: Role as a Project Engineer

In this segment, Zahrah talks about her day-to-day responsibilities as a project engineer at Honeywell. She describes how her role involves managing projects from start to finish, working with customers, sourcing materials, and ensuring the engineering processes run smoothly. She highlights the hands-on nature of her work, especially the opportunity to be involved in the manufacturing and assembly processes. Zahrah also reflects on how her experience as a basketball captain shaped her leadership skills and teamwork, which are crucial to her role today. She shares how her ability to adapt under pressure and think on her feet, skills honed through sports, translate directly to her engineering work.

Segment 3: Future goals

Looking ahead, Zahrah shares her aspirations for the next five years, which include growing within the aerospace industry and exploring new engineering specializations. She expresses her interest in advancing to senior project engineering roles or venturing into areas like manufacturing or analysis engineering. Zahrah also advises younger professionals, particularly those unsure about their career paths, to stay open to new opportunities and embrace the learning process. Her message is clear: it’s okay not to have all the answers right away, and each experience adds value to the overall journey.