Alison standing with her plane

Co-op should be treated as the pre-cursor to a future career, and if you’re lucky enough to get into a company you love, make sure you make a good impression and keep in touch when you get back to college because you never know, you could be back there

We often share with outgoing students that co-op is an opportunity to 'try a career on'. Alison Kearney echoes this with her advise to future co-op students. 

Tell us a bit about yourself, what course did you study in UL, what has your career looked like to date?

My name is Alison Kearney, and I graduated from Aeronautical Engineering in 2014 from the University of Limerick. I loved my time at UL, made friends for life, and enjoyed some unforgettable experiences along the way. The aeronautical engineering course gave us so many opportunities, and engaging projects such as “Design, Build, Fly” and of course the notorious flight tests held by Cranfield University. These things, as well as being taught by a slew of world-class lecturers certainly helped us to prepare for the future. Whether it was materials, aerodynamics, mechanics, design, vibrations, or propulsion, I enjoyed all UL had to offer us.

In 2015, I began my career in Aviation working with a Continuing Airworthiness management company in Shannon, where I gained invaluable experience in the ‘real world’, and I had a couple of excellent mentors who showed me the ropes. The next year, I was fortunate enough to return to Shannon Engine Support (SES), where I had completed my co-op in 2012. SES is the largest CFM product lessor in the world with just over 550 CFM engines in our portfolio. CFM are the world’s leading supplier of engines for narrowbody aircraft, manufacturing the engines that go on the world’s most popular aircraft types, Airbus A320ceo/neo and Boeing 737NG/MAX. I will say I find myself to be a lucky person in general, and it was by pure luck I landed in the aviation industry just as two new aircraft and two brand-new engine types were at entry into the service phase. At that point, there hadn’t been a new engine released by CFM since the 90’s. The exposure to the innovation of new LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engine types, such as the use of composite material, 3D printed fuel nozzles, and use of ceramics, proved for fast learning. The associated fuel saving and noise reduction those innovations brought, came with huge order books and demand from the airline industry, so safe to say I got off to a flying start in SES.

From starting back in 2016 as a Project Engineer, I have progressed to Technical VP of project Engineering, working with a very talented team to get engines repaired, overhauled and turned ready for their next home with any of our global customer base. A few weeks ago, I did a round of interviews in UL for the next technical co-ops that will join us in May 2025, and I look forward to them starting their careers here with us in SES.

Tell us a bit about your co-op placement, what organisation did you work with and what year it took place?

In 2012, I left UL and after a short trip out the N18, I arrived to start my co-op with Shannon Engine Support. There were two students that year. In 2024, SES were lucky enough to have eight students with us. When I started, I worked with the project engineer in the technical department and made sure to keep myself (and him) busy by asking a question a minute for the first week, as really, aircraft engines were new to me, and not something we had studied yet in UL. The great thing about SES, is, that everyone seemed to have a wealth of experience from multiple different industries, and so I went about the technical department, and then out across all the functions in SES, finance, sales, and insurance trying to gather information – it took at least a week or two before I realised engines were sold separately to planes! Being an intern, I would say I did put myself out there, looking for projects and work, whether it was technically based or not, I put my hand up. I think that gave me good exposure to the business, and my colleagues were always more than happy to donate their time to help me learn.

Many of the people I worked with in 2012 are still here today in SES, but I have learned not to go around searching for work anymore, as there’s plenty to be done on my desk! SES truly is an excellent place to work, and it’s all down to the culture and the people, I am very grateful to have such a fulfilling co-op placement here in Shannon.

What impact did your co-op placement have on your future career?

SES has been involved in the co-op programme for nearly 20 years and it has been a very fruitful relationship for us both with co-op students coming in every year across multiple departments. Without the partnership between Cooperative Education in UL and the many companies it has built relations with in the Midwest region, Ireland and Globally, I and many others would not have had to exposure and opportunities we have today. My co-op placement gave me the essential skills needed to convert from the learning environment to the working environment and even better, a subsequent job opportunity after college. Co-op placement has had a huge impact on my career, and I’m confident to say, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I have had to date, without that initial exposure to the engine leasing business in SES back in 2012.

What piece of advice would you give to students going on co-op now?

Grab the opportunity with all you have, no question is too stupid, engage with your colleagues, put yourself out there, and put your hand up, as every opportunity is a learning opportunity. Co-op should be treated as the pre-cursor to a future career, and if you’re lucky enough to get into a company you love, make sure you make a good impression and keep in touch when you get back to college because you never know, you could be back there or at least get an excellent reference!