Robotics student plans aviation career

Brooklyn Park, Dec. 16, 2022 – Student Walid Ali and his brother are both enrolled in the Automation Engineering Robotics program at Hennepin Tech. Walid currently works in aviation maintenance for a company in St. Paul that manufactures floats for airplanes. He dreams of getting his pilot’s license in the future. For now, Walid is focused on his studies in robotics with plans to advance his career in aviation.

Hennepin Tech: You are a global citizen! You grew up in the Middle East and you lived in Kuwait when Iraq invaded that nation. What do you remember about the war?

Walid: I was really young but I remember being outside my house playing soccer with friends and saw the fighter jets. I didn’t understand what was happening and my dad explained to me what was going on.

Hennepin Tech: In the U.S., you attended high school in South Dakota. How did your time as a high school athlete have an impact on your career choice?

Walid: I played soccer, track and football. I was always busy and always moving. I think that is why I stay busy now. I’m working and attending college at the same time. My employer allows me to rearrange my schedule so I work every other weekend to make up the hours that I miss at work.

Hennepin Tech: We have a photo with you working with a robotic arm. It looks fun, is it?

Walid: Yes, absolutely, the classes are fun. We’re programming robots and that’s one of my favorite projects. I’m learning about electricity too. You can grab an object, pick it up and put it down. The robot has other capabilities. It can draw anything you want. Working with the robot teaches us how to program because we’re telling it what to do and repeat the action.

Hennepin Tech: What would you tell another student considering robotics?

Walid: The Instructors are great. They allow me to understand a complicated topic because of the way they teach. This will help my job now and it will move me forward with my future career. I looked at other colleges and they were much more expensive. Hennepin Tech is affordable and that’s one of the reasons why I am here. All the students in class help each other out. I’ve made a lot of friends at Hennepin Tech.

Hennepin Tech: What’s next for you?

Walid: For a career, I’d like to stick with aviation. I am curious about how things work. I’ll see what happens. Maybe I’ll put an engine together.

About Hennepin Technical College
Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs in the skilled trades and high-demand career fields. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for high-paying employment opportunities.