Developing software engineers at the C-130J Software Factory

Lockheed Martin´s C-130J Avionics/Software Integrated Product Team (IPT) creates software that runs a wide variety of systems on the C-130J aircraft. This team develops embedded safety-critical real-time air vehicle software and a ground-based data analysis system for aircraft analysis. The IPT operates within the infrastructure of the C-130J Software Factory, which consists of Sun workstations and PCs networked to Web servers, a configuration management server, an aircraft simulator implemented in software, and laboratories are composed of the aircraft´s hardware mounted in equipment racks for easy access. The article discusses the IPT´s diverse education and training needs, focusing on how to address shortfalls in conventional computer science and engineering education that result in mismatched expectations between the new hire and the company.