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Aerospace Engineering: Helping Careers Take to the Skies
Diogo Amorim shares how the Aerospace Engineering course laid the foundations for his career, opening up exciting opportunities in a rapidly expanding industry.
At the age of 18, many students dream of pursuing careers that will bring both professional fulfilment and stability. For those with a passion for mathematics, physics, and engineering, Aerospace Engineering often stands out as a top choice.
This field has seen a rise in demand, resulting in entry requirements that now surpass even those of traditionally competitive courses such as medicine.
In this article, we talk to Diogo Amorim, a former Aerospace Engineering student, who is now a Business Development Manager at Critical Software, about how the course forged the foundations of his career, the opportunities it presented, and how it remains an exciting option for those looking to navigate this demanding industry.
At 18 years old, what was your professional dream? What did you hope to achieve in the future?
I have always been very pragmatic, seeking maximum employability, stability, opportunities for progression, and involvement in an area of interest—in this case, engineering, physics, computing, and space.
What attracted you to the Aerospace Engineering course, and how did you believe it would help you achieve your goals?
My aptitude for mathematics, physics, chemistry, descriptive geometry, logical reasoning, and my lesser interest in languages, history, or other subjects that required memorising rather than understanding, guided my choice towards engineering.
Among the available options, Aerospace Engineering was at the top in terms of employability and versatility (for better or worse, it covers a bit of everything—programming, control, materials, computational calculus, physics, etc.). The course description on the IST website made it seem like the course.
But there were other factors that led me to this choice: my aptitude, and the statistics showing 100% employability were determining factors. Additionally, the course’s recognition and the global reputation of IST added credibility to the future diploma.
What do you think motivates so many students to compete for a place in this course, especially considering the increasingly high entry requirements?
Regardless of the course, each student should aim for the highest grade their ability allows. This will provide a solid foundation for freedom of choice and improve their odds. There are many other factors, and with the rapid evolution of the job market, a piece of advice that is useful today might not be tomorrow.
Thus, enrolling in a course like Aerospace Engineering should, in principle, equip students with good tools to face the future.
How do you see the future job market for recent Aerospace Engineering graduates? What are the main opportunities and challenges in your opinion?
Given its versatility, recent Aerospace Engineering graduates can expect many opportunities in a wide variety of fields. It’s important to note that in direct competition with a recent graduate in Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering for specific IT or electronics positions, the aerospace engineer is at a disadvantage.
However, in almost everything else, they have good chances. Some of my university colleagues are now working in areas such as politics, robotics, finance, energy, at CERN, entrepreneurship, aviation, plane manufacturing, and industrial processes. From this small sample, it's clear that there are countless possibilities.
The IST course is well recognised outside Portugal, which opens up even more possibilities. The challenges ahead are linked to the rapid evolution of the job market and the changing industry needs.
What were the main lessons you took from the course that you consider most valuable in your current job?
The way of thinking like an engineer is something you train extensively during the course. Another skill you develop is the ability to understand complex topics and view the whole as the sum of its parts. These are two great assets of the course that I apply every day.
In your opinion, is the Aerospace Engineering course a good choice for someone passionate about space or is it necessary to have a broader interest in various areas of engineering and technology?
We mustn’t forget that it’s still an engineering course, so you’ll always need to have some interest in the various areas of engineering (mathematics, physics, and other hard sciences). Aerospace Engineering is a good choice for someone passionate about space, aviation, and aircraft.
Our Work in the Space Sector
While it may present its challenges, the Aerospace Engineering course opens a world of opportunities, both within the aerospace sector and beyond, making it an appealing choice for those with a broad interest in engineering and technology.
With the rapid evolution in space exploration, nuclear fusion, and quantum computing, graduates in this field are well-positioned to be at the forefront of technological innovation.
As our former student-turned-Business Development Manager has demonstrated, the skills and knowledge gained from this course can pave the way for a successful and dynamic career - no matter which path is chosen!
We’ve been coding for the aerospace sector since our journey started in 1998. In fact, NASA and the European Space Agency were some of our first clients. Explore the projects we’ve been working on for over 20 years in the aerospace and space industries.