I’m in the education field, but my son, who’s in middle school, has been passionate about space and making rockets since he was in TK. His first word wasn’t “mama” it was “moon!” So, this information is so vital to parents like me who want to nurture the passion for science, space, and rocketry. I do wonder how many people scale-down their dreams when they are faced with challenges? Did any of you face them and if so, how did you overcome them so as to keep your dream alive?
For me there were challenges. And yes, many of the dreams we have as a child are unrealistic - sadly we won't be voyaging to the stars anytime soon. I think the important thing is not so much to follow a dream, but to find a way to translate that into work that excites you and that you enjoy. A dream can be the starting point, it should be a compass when you face challenges or tough decisions, but ultimately you need to experiment a bit and figure out what you enjoy and what you contribution can be.
Wow great summary, Alastair! I especially appreciate the list of the various options for the types of technology one can work on in a space job.
I am also out here in the space industry (I hope our flight paths cross sometime in person!) and I’ll add that one of the things I and leaders I’ve worked with have looked for on resumes at all levels of education-- including for applicants directly out of high school-- is hands-on experience on projects. For high school and college folks, I’d suggest joining clubs and organizations like FIRST Robotics and Human Powered Vehicle. These can be a great way to demonstrate you know how to work in a team, fail a lot and keep trying, and ultimately get results for all these companies are that working on really tough problems. In my opinion, this demonstration that you can collaborate on a common goal is more important on your resume than the GPA listed. Unless you’re going to focus on academia or perform a purely research-focused job function, there aren’t a lot of roles where the habits that helped you complete homework and perform well on tests don’t translate to the things you’ll be doing on a daily basis at your job. Don’t get me wrong, the grades matter especially at first, and it’s not easy to get them! But the better litmus test in my opinion is an applicant’s work on projects or in a lab and how that person manages themselves in high pressure social situations--like hands-on competitions, for instance.
I’ll also add that if you start technical, after 5-10 years of experience, you can plot a course to nontechnical career roles in business, management, operations, and other cool positions that help these companies execute their wild ambitions. It takes a whole host of talents to make these missions work! Like you say, Alastair, some of the new space guys are fighting to define and convince folks that their business strategy is coherent and their particular risks worthwhile. Building and communicating things like that take a whole different skill set than math or programming, and it can be a really fun new challenge! Space is for everyone and needs a huge range of skills to succeed!
Thanks for the comment Rachel! I fully agree with everything you write here. I also look for experience with hands-on projects, especially when recruiting from college, and I think that also demonstrates an interest in space beyond just doing it as a job. The transition from technical to business/management/etc is also very true, and good advice for people who have been in the field for a few years and are wondering what comes next.
I’m in the education field, but my son, who’s in middle school, has been passionate about space and making rockets since he was in TK. His first word wasn’t “mama” it was “moon!” So, this information is so vital to parents like me who want to nurture the passion for science, space, and rocketry. I do wonder how many people scale-down their dreams when they are faced with challenges? Did any of you face them and if so, how did you overcome them so as to keep your dream alive?
For me there were challenges. And yes, many of the dreams we have as a child are unrealistic - sadly we won't be voyaging to the stars anytime soon. I think the important thing is not so much to follow a dream, but to find a way to translate that into work that excites you and that you enjoy. A dream can be the starting point, it should be a compass when you face challenges or tough decisions, but ultimately you need to experiment a bit and figure out what you enjoy and what you contribution can be.
Wow great summary, Alastair! I especially appreciate the list of the various options for the types of technology one can work on in a space job.
I am also out here in the space industry (I hope our flight paths cross sometime in person!) and I’ll add that one of the things I and leaders I’ve worked with have looked for on resumes at all levels of education-- including for applicants directly out of high school-- is hands-on experience on projects. For high school and college folks, I’d suggest joining clubs and organizations like FIRST Robotics and Human Powered Vehicle. These can be a great way to demonstrate you know how to work in a team, fail a lot and keep trying, and ultimately get results for all these companies are that working on really tough problems. In my opinion, this demonstration that you can collaborate on a common goal is more important on your resume than the GPA listed. Unless you’re going to focus on academia or perform a purely research-focused job function, there aren’t a lot of roles where the habits that helped you complete homework and perform well on tests don’t translate to the things you’ll be doing on a daily basis at your job. Don’t get me wrong, the grades matter especially at first, and it’s not easy to get them! But the better litmus test in my opinion is an applicant’s work on projects or in a lab and how that person manages themselves in high pressure social situations--like hands-on competitions, for instance.
I’ll also add that if you start technical, after 5-10 years of experience, you can plot a course to nontechnical career roles in business, management, operations, and other cool positions that help these companies execute their wild ambitions. It takes a whole host of talents to make these missions work! Like you say, Alastair, some of the new space guys are fighting to define and convince folks that their business strategy is coherent and their particular risks worthwhile. Building and communicating things like that take a whole different skill set than math or programming, and it can be a really fun new challenge! Space is for everyone and needs a huge range of skills to succeed!
Thanks for the comment Rachel! I fully agree with everything you write here. I also look for experience with hands-on projects, especially when recruiting from college, and I think that also demonstrates an interest in space beyond just doing it as a job. The transition from technical to business/management/etc is also very true, and good advice for people who have been in the field for a few years and are wondering what comes next.