Mackinlee Keener
Aeronautical Engineering Technology
A&P Technician at Chicago, IL
Describe your potential job duties
Repair, maintain, and troubleshoot premier industry aircraft in order to comply with FAA regulations.
In what ways did the Polytechnic and/or Purdue help make you uniquely qualified for your new job?
Plenty of the aircraft utilized in the industry today are aircraft that I actually got to work on while at Purdue, which is thanks to the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with large category aircraft provided by Purdue's facilities.
How has the college or someone in the college helped you achieve your goals?
Doctor Ropp and Professor Barnes both showed me the importance of both having a passion for what you do and doing that thing right. The due diligence in accomplishing tasks to the best of my ability and enjoying doing so is an extremely useful trait, and they are partially responsible for teaching me how to perform in such a manner.
What specific classes helped prepare you for your new job?
All of the classes that gave me experience working with parts or materials I hadn't worked with before were incredibly useful. I can't recall the exact names of all the courses, but anything that put a tool in my hand helped me gain the appropriate knowledge for the industry.
If you had a favorite class, project, experience, or professor, what/who was it, and why?
Not related to my major or career, but my favorite experience was probably my study abroad in Paris. It was my first time out of the country, and it was a lot of fun being able to finally see the culture and language I had been studying for years beforehand. I still desperately want to go back and see more.
Purdue’s hands-on experience with large category aircraft, paired with the opportunity to work on the same aircraft used in the industry, uniquely prepared me for my future career. Professors like Dr. Ropp and Professor Barnes emphasized the importance of passion and precision, which has shaped my work ethic. My study abroad in Paris remains one of my most cherished experiences, sparking my love for culture and travel."