Worth to choose aerospace over mechanical and others / job demand?

[FranciscoNQN]

Hi, My name is Francisco, I'm from Argentina and I'm an electronic technician. I'm trying to figure out if it is worth studying aerospace engineering in "Universidad De La Plata" thinking that I will have to compete with US and EU engineers while trying to find a job, my long term goal is to end my career, get a toffle English certificate and go live in New Zeland or Australia. I like planes, helicopters, and spacecraft, but my parents tell me that Argentina has poor aerospace development and I will struggle to find jobs, so I should go with mechanical or materials. My question is: Aerospace teaches you about aerodynamics, thermodynamics, structures. electronics and materials, Is that hard to find a job as an aerospace engineer? at least in something that isn't related that much? such automotive?

Thank you! Hope you can help me

 

[Sparweb]

There are many differences between the fields of aeronautical VS mechanical engineering. Do you have any experience with aviation that drives your preference?

I will only speak about what I know. Canada has MANY young engineers with a degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering. Too many, and most do not get hired in their field. Too many of them do not have any distinguishing features in their skills to make them stand out among others who apply for any engineering job. To bring an engineer from any outside country into Canada to fill a position, for which there are already a surplus of graduates, is hard without bureaucracy and a rigorous justification. The candidate must have special experience or skill that set them apart in a way that cannot easily be found here. If you can extrapolate that situation from Canada to other countries you are considering, then that means an engineering degree does not mean a ticket to work abroad.

That may sound depressing, but there may be hope:
Is electronics something you are no longer interested in?
Or are you interested in preserving your electronics experience in your future work?
Let me extrapolate in a new direction, and see if you are interested:

The blend of the two disciplines "electronics" and "aviation" is called "avionics" and it can be difficult to find people with combined skills in these two disciplines to support avionics equipment design projects or the efforts to integrate new avionics into the existing aircraft systems. From your current position you could study aviation either as a pilot or as an avionics maintenance specialist. Both skills would help enable you to travel around the world. Your electronics background would help you understand the integration of the many systems, making you learn faster as an apprentice maintenance specialist, possibly the same in piloting as you fly more complex aircraft. As a student pilot, you would probably fly a very rudimentary aircraft, but as you pursue flight under instrument conditions (night, fog, cloud) then your understanding of system integration will have to be very sharp to fly the plane well. If you then turn that understanding to the modern challenges of avionics such as precision approach guidance, enhanced vision, and collision avoidance, then you might be able to see yourself having cultivated some very valuable skills. Many professional pilots become adept users of these systems, but only a few get deeply involved in their integration into the aircraft, and yet having piloting experience would give you a tremendous advantage over those who don't. Today, Canada does not have enough specialized maintenance people who have enough insight and skill at installing and integrating advanced avionics, and we must hire overseas to find them. Those are some options to consider, either at the technical or engineering level, that I believe will be in high demand for many years.

Here is the way I see people immigrate to Canada in the MAJORITY of cases: They have specific skills that are in high demand in Canada not being met by the population here. Currently there is a shortage of aircraft maintenance engineers, for both mechanical, engine and avionic systems. This can be addressed by companies when they are allowed to hire applicants from other countries. The case is similar in other industries that have shortages of specific skilled people.

 

[IRstuff]

Please refrain from double posting

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[rb1957]

"toffle" certificate ?

You're a technician now. Do you like the work ? (fixing, servicing components ?) or do you want to design the components ?

If you like the technician's work, then I'd get an AME license.

If you want to go overseas (I left Australia and came to Canada via the UK), then ensure your license/schooling is recognised.
Your school should be accredited with some international group.

Better would be to do the schooling in Oz or NZ. Obviously the market is bigger (and better ?) in Oz.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[IRstuff]

TOEFL -- Test of English as a Foreign Language

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[rb1957]

oh, ESL ... English as a Second Language

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[RoarkS]

You have an uphill battle in front of you. One of my friends from university was from Indonesia. Did everything he could to stay... kept renewing his school visa... got his PhD even. Stayed close to 15 years... Still got sent home. I'm assuming he doesn't have internet where he is, cause none of us have heard from him in quite a while.

I'd say get your citizenship wherever you want to go, learn there, work there... so at least you don't get sent home with a "useless" skill.

I'm structures/systems but mostly manufacturing guy. I do a lot of side work that has nothing to do with airplanes. Engineering concepts apply on just about anything thankfully but I do tend to be a little more obsessed about weight than non aerospace folks. I just made a parking lot sign out of aluminum that was 14 feet tall that has frames and longerons.

Personally I would encourage the electronics aspect... as a mechanical design guy I have to work with electrical folks to get actuators selected, running correctly, and talking to the cockpit... they get paid pretty good too.

 

[MintJulep]

All aerospace companies also hire mechanical engineers.
Not all mechanical engineering companies need aerospace engineers.

There are more non-aerospace companies than aerospace companies.

Have you researched at all the immigration opportunities for New Zealand and Australia?

 

[verymadmac]

Aerospace is pretty dead in NZ, with very limited opportunities once you get past graduate engineer level (typically with limited on the job development and limited movement between organizations). Yes there is Rocket Lab but that runs a startup culture and there is no where else to go in country once you get tired of Rocket Lab.

In Oz most aerospace appears to be defense related, which is pretty much restricted to those with Australasian citizenship.

 

[SWComposites]

Suggest looking into opportunities with Embraer in Brazil.

 

[SwinnyGG]

Is that hard to find a job as an aerospace engineer? at least in something that isn't related that much? such automotive?

Aerospace engineering isn't THAT specialized; if you apply for jobs against regular mechanical engineering majors with similar experience, you will be competitive with them.

And don't sleep on automotive; much of what differentiates an aerospace degree from a normal ME degree is still useful in the automotive world. Cars move through the air, too.