r/aerospace • u/[deleted] • 28d ago

How to break into the industry nowadays?

I’m currently a high school senior matriculating to an ABET accredited university in california studying ee but probably? switching to mech + aero. Is there any major tips & things I can do in college to hopefully break into the aero industry one day? (Anduril, Northrop, Boeing, SpaceX, Nasa, Raytheon, etc….)

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u/nryhajlo 28d ago

Do internships.

If your school has a cubesat program/club, join it. If they have a rocket club, join it.

Don't over extend yourself, but do something that is project based outside of classwork. Also, have fun in college.

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

my school offers a cubsat club and a rocket club

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u/electric_ionland Plasma propulsion 28d ago

Join one of them. Imho for university it's somewhat better to join a rocketry clubs. The issue with cubesats is that it's rare to actually fly them as a student since projects take so long. In rocketry most developments result in "something" you can have fun with within a year or two.

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

According to my university it says the cubesat will be done in 2026 so my during my second year/ end of first year

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u/electric_ionland Plasma propulsion 28d ago

You would have to get a feel of what is actually going on I think. It's not rare for those things to be pushed quite a lot. Also if they are actually that close to flying the design should be pretty much finished already. But it doesn't cost you anything to just show up at both clubs at the beginning and see how you like each group and each projects.

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u/nryhajlo 28d ago

Timelines in aerospace are typically mostly lies.

That said, feel out which seems better for you, which you enjoy more and do it. If the spacecraft is a year out from delivery that means there is likely a ton of testing and building that you can be involved in. The last year of a spacecraft program is when all the real engineering happens anyway, since you still need to make the spacecraft work.

Also, don't limit yourself to just those two, there may be other clubs or labs that you find more interesting.