Amazing Career Journeys
Profile
Emilio De Stefano
Hardware Engineer
Bio
Emilio always wanted to be a pilot, but then decided after much career consideration, to go down another pathway. Emilio did a double degree in Electrical and Mechatronic Engineering and Management through the University of South Australia. Even though maths didn’t come very easily to Emilio in high school, he decided to overcome that challenge and did a bridging course at uni – surprising even himself with high distinctions! Emilio enjoys working now as a Hardware Engineer for BAE Systems, a major contractor for the Australian Defence Force. Emilio gets to work on lots of exciting projects, some involving aircraft which is very much a passion of his still. Occasionally he gets to fly and test equipment with ex fighter pilots on Lear jets and that is a definite bonus. Emilio was named the Defence Teeming Centre’s Young Achiever for 2010.
Questions
Questions & Answers
- What is the best aspect about your work?
- Testing high tech equipment in the real world, for example going up in a Lear Jet and testing the Radar Warning Receiver I’ve been working on up the Woomera Test Range
- What is the most challenging aspect about your work?
- Trying to fault find issues on high tech equipment that only a handful of people have actually designed and worked on. It means there are often problems which you can’t go to someone for help on, but on the up side it means you get to spend a lot of hands on time in the lab, which can be a lot of fun.
- What high school and/or Uni/TAFE did you go to?
- I completed my secondary schooling at Henley High School and then went on to study at the University of South Australia (UniSA).
- What did you study in further education?
- I completed a double degree; a Bachelor of Electrical and Mechatronic Engineering (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Management.
- What is the best career advice you can give to someone is interested in going down a similar path?
- Network, network and network. There’s nothing more important! You need to get out there and meet the people who you might one day be working for. You’ll make great contacts, meet great people and you’ll also learn more about what it is you want to do. If you decide to go on and do further education, join a professional institution and become actively involved as early on as possible. It’s a lot of fun and it looks great on your resume. I joined the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in my third year of uni and since then I’ve never looked back!
