For my project life, I chose Aerospace Engineering as my future career. I have already set my path in that direction by taking Coach Cutshaw’s Pre – Engineering class at South Greene High School. I also plan on taking one of the three engineering courses at the Greene Technology Center. I would then need to get at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering at a four year college or get a degree from a Technical School with an engineering program. In High School I will have to take Physics, Chemistry, Writing/English, and several Math courses such as algebra, calculus, and trigonometry.
I chose this career because I have always been interested in how planes are able to fly and how they operate. I think it’s fascinating that such a large machine can lift itself and stay stabilized enough for flight. It would also be exciting to see how they are made and to help build and design them. I would be required to conduct research on production materials, analyze the structural integrity of a plane’s framework, and develop propulsion systems and design computer systems. As well as, designing aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles and testing prototypes.
To become an aerospace engineer I will need to have some kind of experience with engineering, such as a hands – on program or prior experience. However, prior experience is not necessary for the position I am looking at. I will have to be able to identify design elements that may not meet requirements, or are faulty or hazardous. I must have knowledge of standard business practices and commercial laws to meet federal government requirements for my job. I will also need to be able to translate a set of issues into requirements.
For example, if there are technical issues with a prototype, I will need to be able to take what is wrong with the prototype and make new guidelines for the next prototype to see if the design will work. I will have to use the principals of calculus and trigonometry as well as other advanced classes of math. I will be required to write and to be able to explain my designs clearly and create documentation for future use. How much my income is will depend on where I choose to work and how I plan to live.
It may also depend on how much schooling I have or what level of degree I have when I start, and will possibly depend on how much prior experience I have when I start my career. The median annual salary for an Aerospace Engineer, entry level, is $103,720. This means that I will be making about $8,643. 33 a month before federal taxes. With the tax amount removed, I will have about $6,914. 67 each month to spend on my cost of living. Yearly I will have, $82,976 left. Thave budgeted my cost of living for Phoenix, Arizona. My house payment, I have estimated at about $1,112. 53 a month.
My electricity and water bills have an estimated, combined cost of $280. My phone bill will depend on which company I use. For my food I have estimated that I will use about $350 a month. I have estimated that my insurance will cost about $75 a month, but will also depend on which company I am with. For my transportation costs I split it into four categories: payments, gas, auto repairs, and insurance. For my payments, I have estimated that they will be about $250 a month for a used Chevy S10. For the gas category I estimated that my gas bill will be about $125 a month.
However, this may fluctuate depending on how far my house is from the company I work for. I have also estimated that I will be paying $40 a month for internet. These and some others are all my expenses that I expect to have when I move to Arizona. Based on these expenses and how much money! believe I will have, I have discovered that I will probably have a surplus of money by the end of each month and by the end of each year. I expect that I will have a monthly surplus of, $4,192. 14. Yearly I expect that I will have somewhere around $50,305. 64.
With this surplus I will be able to put more into savings and buy fitness equipment such as a bike or treadmill. And I will still have enough to cover extra, everyday spending and/or emergencies. To become an aerospace engineer I will need a certain level of education and some specific skill sets. I will need at least a Bachelor’s Degree in aerospace engineering, some other field of engineering, or a science related to aerospace systems. I will also need courses in chemistry, physics, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. However, these classes I will most likely take in High School.
As for the skills I will need, I will need to be able to identify design elements that may not meet requirements and then formulate alternatives to improve their performance. As I’ve said earlier, I will also need knowledge of standard business practices and commercial laws. I will need to be able to figure out why a particular design doesn’t work, ask the right question, then formulate an acceptable answer. I will also need advanced math and writing skills. To get my Bachelor’s degree I have chosen to go to either of the following colleges: The University of Tennessee – Knoxville or Arizona State University – Tempe.
For the University of Tennessee, I would be paying $29,420 a year for an in-state tuition. For Arizona it would be a little more expensive at $38,977 a year. Some of my tuition cost could be covered by possible scholarships. The scholarships offered by UT are the: Volunteer Scholarship, Tennessee Lottery (HOPE) Scholarship, TN Pledge, UT promise, Provost Scholarship, and other Competitive Scholarships. Arizona State offers some of their own scholarships such as: the New American University Scholarship, Freshman Merit Scholarship, ASU Scholarship, and College and Departmental Scholarships.
The high school courses I will have to take include: Pre – Engineering, Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Writing. These courses in high school will help me get the building blocks of what I will need to understand to succeed in my career. For example, all of my math and algebra courses will give me the basics of any algebraic equations I will need to design and measure everything needed to make up a plane. The physics and chemistry may help me understand the basic knowledge need to build thruster systems on jets and planes.
Writing skills will help me be able to explain my designs clearly and to create documentation for future use. For a position as a Project Engineer at UTC Aerospace Systems I will have to move to Phoenix, Arizona after I finish my education. I will be required to be skilled in the design, development, and regulatory approval of aircraft systems. My chosen career may be difficult to enter because the Employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow only 7% from 2012 to 2022. This growth is slower than the average for all occupations.
If I was to get a job working for National Defense it might offer me a stable position for my career with a possibility for future advancement of I excel in my duties. For my interview, I attempted to contact the Texas A&M engineering program. However, they have not yet responded to my email. I will continue to try to contact them, respectively, at least until I am to give my Project Life presentation. If I hear from them before I am to present then I will add the information to my power point presentation to add to the information in my presentation. 1
