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Aerospace engineers design, test, build and maintain aeroplanes, spacecraft and satellites.
You could work: evenings / weekends; occasionally
As an aerospace engineer, you could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work in a factory, in an office, on an aircraft or in an aircraft hangar.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a degree in aerospace engineering, avionics, or a subject like:
Postgraduate study
You may be able to do a master's degree in aeronautical or aerospace engineering if you've studied for a degree in a related subject, such as engineering.
You'll usually need:
You could do A levels, a higher national certificate (HNC) or diploma (HND) in engineering before applying for a trainee technician job with an aerospace company.
Subjects include:
You would then take further training to become a fully qualified engineer.
You could do a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship to begin your career in the aerospace industry. Apprenticeships include:
You'll combine workplace learning with study for a degree at university.
You'll usually need:
You might be able to join a company as an aerospace engineering technician and do training on the job to qualify as an engineer.
You can apply for aerospace engineering jobs if you've got relevant qualifications and experience. For example, you might have worked in mechanical, electrical or electronics engineering.
You can join the Royal Aeronautical Society for professional development, career resources and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about working in aerospace engineering from Careers in Aerospace.
With experience, you could specialise in a particular field like:aerodynamics; fuel efficiency; space technology; air accident investigation
You could also become a project manager, consultant aerospace engineer, or move into technical sales.
You can find out more about careers in aerospace engineering from Careers in Aerospace.