Windsor engineering students got a glimpse of their future by seeing a slice of their past. Two engineers from BAE systems, including 2018 WCHS graduate Cole Greenfield, visited the school to explain their career paths to those who may very well follow.

“I feel like having someone come in who has been in the school district is valuable. If you see someone do it you can say, ‘there is a pathway forward’,” said Greenfield.

“We’re trying to encourage students to go to college for engineering and try to give them options and information. We want to make them aware of what’s out there,” said Theresa Larson, a BAE engineer who joined Greenfield on the trip to Windsor.

WCHS senior engineering students showed the pair from BAE how they are working on converting software to a different kind of code to get a CNC machine, used to automate the machining metal and plastic parts, working again.

“Since we didn’t have any outside help we wanted to show we could solve problems on our own and are working on our own projects. They can see we have determination and drive,” said Frankie Peret.

Those qualities will be helpful if the students want to pursue an engineering career at BAE Systems.

“They explained what BAE Systems is all about,” said Peret. “It’s good knowing that there’s job opportunities and places we can get experience. With a lot of majors you don’t get a job right after college but with engineering and BAE, they offer internships and jobs.”

In total, the BAE engineers met with 34 students in the Intro to Engineering, Principles of Engineering, and Engineering Design and Development classes.