Aftimus taught Arabic at his university for two years and co-authored an Arabic grammar textbook before he left for New York City where he studied civil engineering at the Union College as of 1885; he graduated from UC in 1891.[2][4] The Pennsylvania Railroad company presented Aftimus with his first job; he worked on the Hudson Canal and the Pennsylvania Railways;[4] he was then recruited by the Thomson-Houston Electric Company and then by General Electric.[5]