Finding an internship after 35

[ericsawwiki]

I am currently in school and am soon pursuing an undergrad in Aerospace Engineering (getting core classes done first). My GPA is 4.0, and I am in my mid-thirties. Aerospace Engineering has always been a dream of mine, yet I was unable to go to college in the traditional sense, that is, right after high school (I've been on my own since 16).
The first question I have: what is a good undergraduate and graduate aerospace program I could look into? When I say 'good,' I mean, specifically, more robust teaching (smaller classrooms, more one-on-one with professors, more resources, i.e., tutors, industry periodicals, and such). I am well aware that there can be a huge divide in what school one "should" go to versus one that an individual "must" go to. In other words, I am more interested in substance, rather than a brand, in that I really want to learn this industry.
My second question has to do with internships. As I've mentioned, I'm quite a bit older than my classmates, so I have the advantage of a diverse work history and, let's face it, life history. Where do I go to find internships, specifically, in the Houston, Texas area? Am I too old to pursue this kind of training? Also, what kind of prerequisites are required in order to intern?

Any advice on this is absolutely appreciated.

Cheers,
Eric

 

[glass99]

Eric: I don't know about aerospace engineering, but in my neck of the woods you do run into folks who are doing second careers. Its not uncommon for say a drafter to be studying nights for an engineering degree, and then to move into an engineering job in their 40's. Do you have any aerospace industry experience including in manufacturing or somewhere in the value chain like logistics or sales? If so, it should be respected.

A lot of the folks coming from a manufacturing background who go into engineering like to use their credentials to go into a more senior manufacturing role rather than a more theoretical analysis or design job.

People in their 30's are much more focused than those in their 20's. Most people in their 20's still don't know what they want to do with their life, so you have that as an advantage.

 

[MetalHead83]

I graduated with a Matl Eng degree at the age of 29, after getting another degree in a completly unrelated field (English) and working in a lumber yard for 7 years...

I had a few places tell me 'no thanks' due to my age and the previous degree, but a steel mill gave mea chance and I interned there for 2 years before Graduating. At that point they offered me a salary position, and I have been there since.

One of my main selling points in the interview process was the fact that I was older. I emphasized that I had a steady job history, practical knowledge, and had a chance to develop all of those 'soft skill's that maybe a 'fresh' intern of 20 or so wouldn't have.

Mentioning any experience that pertains to the industry you are aiming for would be a huge plus, but don't feel like the game is set against you. You can be a much more stable worker and person after a few years of life experience under your belt, and a company that has had any young interns should be able to see that pretty easily.

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!


A side question for you:
Have you had any military training? I only ask because I had several friends my age in Engineering who had completed their service and were going to college.

"Metal Health'll cure your crazy
Metal Health'll cure your mad
Metal Health is what we all need
It's what you have to have"

-Quiet Riot
Bang Your Head (Metal Health)

 

[Signious]

One thing to potentially look for when you pick your school is how they do internships. When I went through the internship program there was a dedicated job board specifically for the program and any 'regular' internships that come up would do their postings purely in that board.

I think this kind of system would benefit you (you would at least get the interview based on credentials, without them actually knowing your age until you meet in person. Anything to get through the door!
As MetalHead pointed out use your maturity, experience, and track record to your advantage. After all - interviewing is just another form of self marketing.

 

[MotoGaryP]

Eric - I too was in my mid-thirties when I completed my undergrad degree. To answer your question about internships does your school offer a coop program? I took advantage of that and it allowed me to find my current job today.

During interviews for coops prior work history was always a selling point. Don't let age be a factor. Good Luck!

 

[HamburgerHelper]

If you are in Houston, maybe you want to get a job as a tech. doing drafting/design work in the oil and gas industry. I don't know much about aerospace but I am guessing they do cad and design work so maybe there would be some carry over. You probably would be making north of $30 an hour as a tech or an intern.

 

[Maui]

Eric, what specifically would you want to do with an aerospace engineering degree? Do you have an idea of where you would want to work, or what you would see yourself doing in a job that utilizes such a degree? I'm asking that question because I had envisioned myself working for NASA before graduating with my Ph.D. in Materials Science, but it never happened. When I contacted NASA they basically told me to go away - they had no openings. It might not be a bad idea to ask the engineers who are here on this board what they actually do in their day to day jobs to get a feel for what it is actually like working in that field (if you haven't done that already).

Maui

 

[Sparweb]

Bell Helicopter / Textron?
A lot of fabrication and assembly work gets done by sub-contractors, so make sure to look under the name badge, to see who really rivets the parts together.
Pick up a magazine like Aviation Week and Space Technology (university library) and get familiar with the names and places they write about. I think they even have an industry index once a year.

If you have a previous work history (of a technical nature) I wouldn't care if you got summer work placements during your time at university (provided you were doing something worthwhile), though it would still get you bonus points. Getting the fresh-faced kids into an internship is as much about giving practical shape to all the theory they have been absorbing as making money or learning how to take instructions from a person not their phone. It sounds like you already have that stuff squared away. When I was one of those kids in school, there were older guys in my class, and after a while, they were the guys I liked to hang around with the most. I helped them with statistics and they showed me how to change a clutch. Fair deal.


STF