Aerospace Engineering

Q: I just had to fill out my course form for next year, and the courses I'm taking will more or less take me into most any Engineering course. I'm curious about a few things. 1) Is the Aerospace Engineering field in demand now? 2) Are there other higher-prfile jobs like this... What I mean is something other than Ground Control, or those like that. I'd prefer to work with Math and Physics.

A: > 1) Is the Aerospace Engineering field in demand now? First thing you have to realize is that there is no real job called "aerospace engineering". There is an industry, but no individual position. Within the industry are controls engineers, system engineers, structural engineers, mechanical designers, electricial, hydrolic, propulsion, mass properties and even these days of course software engineers then of course there is the aerodynamicist. You can get into many of the more math and physics oriented fields with a good advanced physics degree. The controls and aerodynamicist fields are filled with physicists with masters degrees. Civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical, all fill roles within the aerospace engineering industry. There are alot of technical people in the aerospace industry that don't have engineering degrees. In terms of "demand right now" that is always a bit deceiving. There are ups and downs, always have been, always probably will be. It is probably a tad flat right now. There are jobs out there but everyone is cautious. I would caution anyone though about getting the "degree du jour". Within the time you get your degree that can change rapidly. Within the time of your career, that WILL change continously. If you want to work in the field, it is healthy enough to be worth getting a degree. Planes and satellites are gonna be around for a while and they aren't gonna be designed solely in India in 20 years. > 2) Are there other higher-profile jobs like this... What I mean is something > other than Ground Control, or those like that. I'd prefer to work with Math > and Physics. I'm not quite sure what you're looking for here. You seem to be interested in working with aircraft, maybe airlines specifically. A good mechanical engineering degree will get you into alot of airline related jobs. Focus on structures or propulsion. If you are thinking more about airline management, you might want an industrial engineering degree with some focus on airport management. If you want to work for Boeing or the equivalent, again you can focus on a mechanical engineering degree with a heavy emphasis on fluid dynamics, controls, or structures. If you REALLY believe you like math and physics I'd suggest stability and controls as your focus. You could pursue that in either an engineering curriculum or a physics. With physics you'd almost assuredly have to go on and get an advanced degree where as with a 4 year engineering degree you could probably limp along. At least you could start working and then get the advance degree part time. Without knowing you, I should also mention that THE most difficult math curriculums are found in electrical engineering. If you like complex mathematical theories and still wanna have the title "engineer" that's the place to be. One good thing to do is to go over to the placement department at your school and figure out how the job placement department works. There you will find some hints about what you might want to get your degree in. You may be surprised to find out that getting a "mechanical engineering" degree, with a focus on just about whatever you want, will get you more interviews than getting a physics degree studying basically the same thing.

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