Aeronautical Engineer Training & Jobs
Aeronautical or aerospace engineers design and test various types of spacecraft and aircraft, including those used for military purposes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for aeronautical engineers was $94,780 as of May 2009. Aeronautical engineers must obtain extensive training and education in order to land a job in this field.
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Education
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The minimum education required to work in this field is a bachelor's degree. While a degree in the field of aerospace engineering is the typical entry-level education, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that engineers in other fields such as mechanical engineering can also work as aerospace engineers. Many engineering schools offer a degree in general engineering but allow students to choose a concentration or area of specialization. Bachelor's degree programs tend to emphasize a combination of coursework in math and science in conjunction with engineering courses.
Training
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Training for aeronautical engineers continues once they leave the classroom setting. As with many engineering specialties, aerospace engineers learn through on-the-job training, which often takes the form of a seminar or some other type of initial orientation needed to become familiar with the company, its goals and its ongoing projects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that beginning engineers often obtain much of their training working under the direction of another qualified and experience engineer until they are ready to branch out on their own.
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Careers
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There are numerous career options for those going into the field of aeronautical engineering. According to EDA Inc., most aeronautical engineers work for airlines, aircraft manufacturing companies or the Armed Forces. Aeronautical engineers generally choose one of three primary areas of specialization within the field: research, manufacturing or design. Each of these represents a distinct stage within the design and testing phases of aerospace technology. A career in research usually requires the completion of a master's degree, which will take one to two years of additional study beyond the bachelor's degree.
Pathways
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Just as mechanical engineers can enter the field of aeronautical engineering, so too can those with backgrounds in other areas of engineering. For instance, acoustical engineers may work on lessening the noise pollution created by various types of air and spacecraft. Electronics and electrical engineers also play an important role in the design and manufacture of aircraft. As long as engineers can meet the basic qualifications needed to be an engineer, there are not restrictions regarding other types of engineers working in the aeronautics field.
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References
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