Academic Advice from Aerospace Professionals

[april-slawson]

I want a career in the Aerospace Industry. My original major was Physics, and after my first year of a three-year community college degree, I have learned much more about what different degree's lead to what jobs. I am a solid A student, English, Geography, Computer Science, and Mathematics are subjects I have taken so far. I want to stay in my current city due to family obligations, and the University here offers EE and ME.

I think that I want to major in EE, even though that will take me six years in all to graduate. It seems it will be the most stimulating and rewarding for my interests. I like to work hard, I like to build things, and I enjoy mathematics. I haven't had the opportunity to take physics in college yet. I am 25 years old, I took seven years off to work minimum wage jobs, and spent the last three semesters catching up to where incoming Freshman start at since my high school only offered up to Pre-calc.

1. Will I be able to pursue a career in the Aerospace Industry with a Bachelor's In Electrical Engineering?

2. (Opinions) Would it be beneficial to pursue a Masters in Science in Physics after earning an EE? Can I pursue a Masters in Aerospace Engineering after obtaining an EE?

Reference https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/the-should-i-become-an-engineer-thread.15898/page-54

 

[FactChecker]

There are a great number of subjects in Aeronautical Engineering that would not be in the normal EE curriculum, so switching to aero for a masters would require a lot of catching up. There are a lot of jobs for EE in aerospace because of the large amount of avionics in modern planes. So you might want to consider staying with EE if you go on for a masters. My recommendation is to decide if you are more interested in the EE subjects or Aero subjects and go into that as soon as practical. The longer you wait the harder it will be to switch.

 

[Dr Transport]

working in the aerospace industry with an EE degree is not hard to do, 1/3 of the engineers I know in aerospace are EE's...

 

[Nidum]

Sorry but a reality check is needed here .

The chances of you getting a graduate entry job in the aerospace industry when you eventually complete your degree are not very good .

At 30 + with no employment history , no experience and commonplace qualifications you might even have difficulty finding any job at all .

Best bet as things stand is for you to get some lower level qualifications quickly and then take a technician level or even a low skill level job in the industry and work up your qualifications and job status from there .

 

[FactChecker]

The aerospace industry is notoriously cyclical. There are times when it will be very hard to get a job and other times when it will be relatively easy.

 

[april-slawson]

Sorry but a reality check is needed here.

The chances of you getting a graduate entry job in the aerospace industry when you eventually complete your degree are not very good.

At 30 + with no employment history, no experience, and commonplace qualifications you might even have difficulty finding any job at all.

Best bet as things stand is for you to get some lower level qualifications quickly and then take a technician level or even a low skill level job in the industry and work up your qualifications and job status from there.

You mentioned "lower level qualifications," can you expand on what would fall under that for me?
Thank you for your reply and practical advice