<p>I am currently a student at Rice University who is majoring in ChemE. My passion is in aerospace and automotive technology and would love to work in these fields after graduation. However, I was hesitant to major in MechE due to the engineering job market and the sheer number of MechEs out there. I asked a few advisors and they told me that ChemEs is a good alternative due to the similar curriculum as MechEs. They told me how versatile ChemE with the chemistry background (which I enjoy).</p>
<p>This winter break, I started looking at internship applications and found a few from Boeing and Ball Aerospace. It turns out that most of their positions had strict requirements to only hire AeroE, MechE, and CivE majors. A couple of them say "or similar technical field." As a ChemE, I don't have any chance of getting these internships due to my major. In fact, most of the internships available for ChemEs are in the oil industry, environmental systems, materials processing, and chemical plants. I would love to work in fuel cells, power systems, or material design but it seems that I won't have too many opportunities with that in this major (even if I do MatSci concentration). </p>
<p>I met this businessman at the airport on my flight home and he mentioned how ChemEs progress quickly in companies. He told me how they get promoted quicker than other majors. I think that over time I would like to work in a management role but would also like work in aerospace/automotive areas after graduation or at least during my schooling in internships. Should I stay in this major?</p>
<p>I wanted to add that I actually do enjoy the material learned in my engineering/chemistry classes but would like to someday use it in those mentioned fields. My main question is how much more difficult it would be for me to find a job in the aerospace/automotive sector as a ChemE relative to a MechE? If both ChemE and MechE will have trouble working in aerospace then there really is no point in changing majors. </p>
<p>I think MechE will have an advantage in the Aerospace industry, but job prospects are good for both majors. Yes, there are a lot of MEs out there but there are tons of jobs for them as well. ME is a broad-based degree that fits in almost everywhere. ChemE is a little more focused, but still can fit a lot of places. If you enjoy the ChemE then stick with it.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. Any ideas on how I can break into the aerospace industry through an internship? How can I get in the field when they restrict applicants to those with aerospace, mech, or civil degrees? </p>
<p>If I did get in, would I have trouble doing the work as a ChemE as opposed to a MechE?</p>
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Thanks for your reply. Any ideas on how I can break into the aerospace industry through an internship? How can I get in the field when they restrict applicants to those with aerospace, mech, or civil degrees?
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<p>First off, you should be doing what anybody who is trying to get a job should be doing, which is a lot of networking and shmoozing. The truth is, most of the hiring in the world is done through personal contacts. </p>
<p>Secondly, I don't know how restrictive these rules are about restricting applicants to those with aerospace,meche, or civilE degrees. Usually these restrictions are usually just 'guidelines' rather than true rules. The truth is, if you do well in the interview, and you demonstrate that you understand the issues relating to the job at hand, no company is going to say "Well, he was really the best candidate for the job, but since he has a ChemE degree and not an AeroE degree, we're not going to hire him". Never happen.</p>
<p>Furthermore, while this might be a bit controversial, I see nothing wrong with trying to pass yourself off as a guy who is trying to switch over to AeroE. A lot of schools don't actually have you declare a major quite late into the process, and even many of them allow you to switch majors anytime you want. For example, I know at MIT, anybody is free to switch majors anytime they want. It may delay your graduation, but you're allowed to do it. Hence, if this is the case at your school, then I see nothing wrong with just saying that you are an AeroE student because you are going to be switching over to AeroE, or saying that you're going to double ChemE with AeroE or something like that. </p>
<p>I see nothing wrong with that - I think that's just good old fashioned hard-nosed career ambition. It's then up to the company to determine whether there is a difference between a guy who is an actual AeroE major and a guy who says he is trying to switch over to AeroE. Personally, I think there is no difference between the two. Like I said, if you can get into the interview room and you can demonstrate that you have the knowledge and that you are the best person for the job, then very few companies are going to turn you down because you didn't major in the "right" subject.</p>
<p>Thank you for your informative reply Sakky. I understand that networking is key, but without any family contacts and prior experience to draw from, I don't have too many people to turn to. I think the hardest part of my career search is just being able to get my foot in the door. </p>
<p>I think for your chaning majors method to be effective, it has to be stated in the cover letter. I don't know if you know a lot about these engineering fields, but let's say that I am able to get through the interview and am working on the job. Do you think there would be a lot of teaching on the job where I could pick up the AeroE skills? Or would I be digging myself a bigger hole by trying to go at it with a ChemE? </p>
<p>ChemEs have a lot of similar classes like engineering mechanics, thermodynamics, fluids, numerical methods, programming, and PDEs. So I figure it should not be too hard to learn some specialized AeroE stuff. And grad school should not be too difficult of an extension as well. </p>
<p>This may seem a little naive, but I see myself (as a ChemE) working with the power systems where chemistry is important such as combustion, fuel cells (in the future), and fuel delivery. Does a ChemE really have an advantage (or will they in the future) in this area? </p>
<p>Please keep the replies coming, they are really helpful. It seems that asking advisors at my school always gets me generic responses.</p>