Home News BHS and R2i2 student earns internationally recognized designation

BHS and R2i2 student earns internationally recognized designation

5/29/2019

Blythewood High School and R2i2 student Kaylie Smith has achieved an impressive technical designation and raised the bar for future district innovators. The high school senior earned the credential of CATIA v5 Mechanical Surface Designer Specialist. To reach the designation, she has earned the following certificates: CATIA v5 Part Design Associate Certificate, CATIA v5 Assembly Design Associate Certificate and CATIA v5 Surface Design Associate Certificate.

“Having this certification prior to entering college makes Kaylie completely unique in that she already has a documented set of skills that many veteran aerospace designers have yet to achieve,” said R2i2 Director Kevin Alberse. “Thanks to her hard work and the instruction and guidance she received from her instructor Mr. Jones, she can now pursue additional skills far ahead of her peers.”

This type of accomplishment at the high school level is rare. Even among those professionals, the pass rate is low due to the rigor of the exam. CATIA v5 is the gold standard for design in the aerospace industry. It is a multi-platform software suite for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE), PLM and 3D, developed by the French company Dassault Systèmes. The software is currently in use at Boeing, BMW, Porsche and Proctor & Gamble.

In the fall, Smith will begin her studies at Embry-Riddle University pursuing a degree in rocket systems science.