Getting into the aviation industry

[wannars125]

Hi, I'm new to the forum so apologies if I've posted in the wrong place. I'm looking at a possible career change studying aeronautical engineering (I'm currently an IT manager) and was wondering if anyone could provide information on types of jobs, salaries,locations and working hours? Also I'm thinking about studying at Farnborough College in the UK which I'm sure most know for the airshow and wondered if anyone knew about connections between the college and industry and if it would make it easier to find a job locally?

Thanks in advance!

[John Farley]

You are asking questions so this is certainly the right forum!

The answer to several will depend on your age and previous education.

If you dn't want to mention those here PM me.

[wannars125]

I can't find my post apart from through the user CP! :hmm: :O

Anyway, age is 33 on Monday. I have GCSE's all at A-C but that's pretty much where it stops...

I know I'll need to redo my maths and physics at least to A level standard but am going to speak to the college about alternatives if possible. I'm sure with a bit of dedication I should be able to get decent grades. Not stupid, just couldn't be bothered at 18 and didn't have any direction.

[John Farley]

Farnborough College I can certainly recommend - especially as you live in the area.

I guess the major employer locally would be QinetiQ.

Regarding the salary and hours etc I feel it is far too early to think about those as you are some four years from being a graduate.

Clearly you must talk to the college. Such a course will need a lot of effort on your part as the subject is not a soft option at all. If the college can suggest a route to enable you to study with them then the rest is down to you and how determined you are. In my view even a hard first degree is achievable by many people provided they really can taste how much they want it.

As to your age then it should help with the course as you will have grown out of many of the distractions that younger students face.

I would also suggest that after you graduate your achievement in doing that at your age will really impress any potential employer.

[Intruder]

An Aeronautical Engineering degree can open MANY doors for employment. besides the obvious employers like Airbus, Boeing, CFM, GE, and Pratt & Whitney, there are military contractors and a plethora of subcontractors. There is also the burgeoning space industry, repair and refurbishment shops, and conversion shops. All of them require Aeronautical Engineers -- either generalists or specialists in airframes, powerplants, avionics, CAD/CAM, or Computational Fluid Dynamics.

Many non-aviation firms will also hire Aeronautical Engineers. The most obvious is the auto industry, where aerodynamics is becoming more important every year. Mfgrs of windmills also need them. Since Aero is simply a specialization of Engineering, you may find a job that requires only a general engineering education...

You're not too old at 33 -- you have 40+ productive years ahead of you!

[redsnail]

Wannars125 - I would definitely follow young John Fairey's advice. He knows a thing or two. ;)

[wannars125]

Thanks for your replies. I wasn't sure the kind of jobs that it would directly lead to and looking at job adverts (some for Qinetic) I couldn't figure out whether they were directly related to having the aeronautical engineering degree.

I know it's difficult to predict what's going to happen with wages in the amount of time it would take to graduate but roughly speaking what kind of range would a graduate with a couple of years under them be looking at?

My concern is that I'd also like to keep up the kind of lifestyle that I'm used to at the moment on a salary around the 45k mark gross taking into account I lose around 5k in net salary to train fare. I know a lot would say it's not all about the cash and it certainly isn't but there's still the mortgage to pay and a young child to support!

[John Farley]

My concern is that I'd also like to keep up the kind of lifestyle that I'm used to at the moment on a salary around the 45k mark gross taking into account I lose around 5k in net salary to train fare. I know a lot would say it's not all about the cash and it certainly isn't but there's still the mortgage to pay and a young child to support!

I would suggest that those sort of wishes and resposibilities would be hard to accomodate with the time, effort and loss of salary that would be needed to do the course. Talk to Farnborough College.

BTW It is QinetiQ. Any contact with them that used Qinetic would go straight in the bin...........if I was involved!

[wannars125]

Haha, yes, I would be a lot more careful with any direct contact with a company! Being responsible for recruiting staff I know these things will see an application in the bin before you can blink!