What's wrong with Caltech?
On 2021-03-15 23:39, Michael Clive wrote:
+1 on Craig. Learn to code. You should be able to build a pretty rad
raspberry pi computer and write cool python stuff on your allowance
money.
First Robotics is an amazing program.
If you are good at school, start working on getting into Stanford or
MIT. If you get into either one of those, you can do pretty much
whatever you want. You won't have to prove another thing in your life,
for better or worse. Only do this if you are really good at school,
like never gotten lower than a B in your entire life. I cannot
overstate the effects of having one of those two names (and sometimes,
both) on your resume. Remember, Stanford. MIT. It is a VIP pass for
life. If you are poor at school (like I was), focus on projects. Build
stuff.
As for what is is like to see your stuff work: The word is
"engrossment". You just sit there and stare at the machine that you
built. It is a feeling of satisfaction that you probably have felt at
the beach when looking at a sandcastle you made, or maybe just
something in minecraft. The feeling is really good, I quite enjoy it.
It is better when you led a team to build the thing, and you see the
team members working on parts of the machine, and that fills you with
pride as well.
But to end on a similar note to many before me: You are 14. There are
things about being 14 years old that are really wonderful, that are
less easy when you are older. Spending lots of time with friends.
Reading a long book in a shady spot on the porch. Did I mention
spending time with friends? As you age, you are able to do a lot of
things (buy stuff, drive places, work at cool companies), but you get
all that in exchange for your time and attention. Right now, you don't
have all that much competing for your time an attention, so you can
spend it however you like. Spend it with friends and family.
PS: You can still have an excellent career/life and high salary
without a degree from Stanford or MIT. It just makes it way easier to
get into interviews. You don't have to work nearly as hard, you don't
have to network, etc. If you do those things well, then the degree
matters way less.
On Mon, Mar 15, 2021 at 10:20 PM Craig Remillard <craig.rem@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Learn to code. This is probably so obvious to someone your age that
it's a bit like saying "learn to breathe." I'm not a software
engineer, only took intro courses and never really enjoyed coding
all that much, but not a day goes by where I need to read, write, or
review code in my job. You don't have to be great at it but you will
need to be able to at least use Python and SQL in almost any
engineering job in 10 years.
Do team projects. I started engineering in FIRST robotics, it was a
great experience and I recommend it to any high school student.
Group engineering projects are 100% better than solo projects. When
reviewing resumes I'm almost always much more impressed by group
projects than I am by solo projects. There are a hundred reasons for
this, but trust me: building something with other people who are as
passionate as you are is invaluable.
Craig
On Mon, Mar 15, 2021 at 9:30 PM JAMES ROSSON <jmrosson@xxxxxxx>
wrote:
Charlie:
As someone who has mentored a few students, here is my advice:
Stop worrying about your career as 14 year old.
If you like rockets, go build them, fly them, and have fun. You
learn more when you have fun doing it!
Hang out the rocket groups and make friends. Be a sponge, but
don't be annoying about it. Unless you parents are wealthy, your
financial limitations as teenager hold you back from most serious
amateur projects costing thousands of dollars. The financial
challenges can make the hobby very frustrating early one, so relax
and have fun. Get too frustrated early on and you lose interest.
Once you reach 16+, have a job, a car; then you can get more
serious. If you are honors level student, there are often science
clubs in HS that get federal and private grants to build cool rocket
projects. Some even have us ARocket members as mentors. ;)
If your high school doesn't have enough science geeks for aerospace
sciences; then find a decent college that does. Many colleges will
allow top level HS 17-18 year old students to take an intro class
that makes you eligible for the college science clubs. Most
aerospace teachers have some of us ARocket folks on speed dial for
consultation, launch site access, and you get more mentor support.
Along the way, read the books mentioned by others. Work on gaining
excellent math/science grades.
Depending on where you live, once you reach 18; look for local
aerospace mfg company. Look for part time job sweeping floor, or as
mail room clerk. Have to start at bottom, but you will learn more
about how Aerospace business works. In college, look for the
internship programs, as they are free education, and sometimes even
pay you some money. This is not required, but can help if haven't
had enough hands one FUN building/flying rockets.
If you have been 'playing' with rockets all during HS and college;
by time you graduate with Aerospace degree, you will have enough
'hobby' experience that companies will be fighting for the privilege
to hire you. We LOVE to hire passionate new graduates into the
Industry with hands on experience. Know person at China Lake
working on rockets and is always looking for qualified mentored
graduates, just he was 20 years ago. :) When you graduate
college, come back and post your resume in Arocket. Can expect
several interviews almost immediately. :)
PS - Stop worrying about management.
Every engineer in training learns how to manage. We have to manage
budgets, fabrication, assembly, transportation to site, site setup,
launch equipment, safety and crowd control, plus recovery and clean
up. While doing all of the above, you been managing the maze of
local, state, and federal regulations designed to keep you and
others safe. This is why you should first go out and have FUN with
rockets. When you are young, you will have more fun with rockets
per week/month than is allowed as an adult. Adult fun is also much
more expensive, with longer periods between the times you feel like
a kid flying rockets on friends farmland again. :)
Managers are great people IMHO. They off load the boring paperwork,
budget meetings, and time wasting crap that sucks the passion from
being an engineer and building rockets. TBH - Management is hard
work and not much fun, especially managing other people. You will
be there soon enough, and learn first hand. Best managers are
those with years of experience, and have learned the knowledge to
help others succeed and minimize failures.
IMHO - The folks that make good managers at young age are those with
more people skills than hands on technology skills. So if you
suddenly are having less fun with rockets in college; get an MBA and
and join ranks of managers who spend their day not having fun with
rockets, but gain pride in helping others have fun with rockets.
Bottom line: It's all about having FUN!
Keep the pointy end up. :)
Good Luck on your adventure.
Jim
On Mon, Mar 15, 2021 at 2:27 PM Charlie Jackson
<charliejackson8629@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello everyone,
As I am aware, a multitude of people here have extensive experience
in working with rocket propulsion, both on amateur and professional
applications. Rockets have become a large passion of mine to learn
about and I want to get a career in the topic, so if you don’t
mind, could I ask a few questions?
-what can I start doing now, at age 14, that will benefit me in the
long run
-what does a typical workday consist of when managing/designing
rockets?
-what recourses (books, websites, etc) do you recommend to expand my
knowledge on the topic?
-What company’s are doing interesting work in the field?
-What technology have you worked on and what was it like to see it
perform the way it did?
Kind regards, Charlie