I have been looking into various post-secondary programs at my local university (University of BC for any canadians here) for when i leave the land of highschool.
I want to study in the Astrophysics field, i have always been intrigued about the subjects within it, but i don't know how good employment is for that field. I figure, along with the theoretical studies i could also study in Aerospace engineering, which is connected. I think that should have some better employment opportunities.
I really want to do the above, but i am just not convinced on employment availability.
My second option would have to be the mechanical engineering field. I'm not sure of anything in particular for employment, but i know that employment possibilities are broad, and you can branch off into just about anything.
So what should i do? Does anybody know of decent employment for somebody with bachelors in the astrophysics field? I'd probably stick around for a masters degree, but i don't know just how anxious i will be to get out of university once i'm at the point of completing my bachelors.
Come on, we've got an entire section "Space", and another on "Relativity / Quantum mechanics / + related stuff" and nobody here has an actual degree in any related sciences 
? There's got to be at least few people who can tell me how employment in those particular fields go? Any people having success or failure finding employment?
Let me broaden this up i guess. Just what does somebody with that kind of knowledge do for a living, work at an astronomy observatory? Work at NASA, or maybe work at CERN? Do you think it is a competitive job market (lots of people, few jobs), or is there a "demand" for these kinds of people with little "supply" to choose from?
You don't have to actually have the degree to answer the 2nd section of questions, i'm just looknig for input. Its just something i am passionate about learning, but im in a "once i know it, just what can i do with it" situation. Despite my passion, i don't want to take the time and money to learn something completely useless.
? There's got to be at least few people who can tell me how employment in those particular fields go? Any people having success or failure finding employment? Let me broaden this up i guess. Just what does somebody with that kind of knowledge do for a living, work at an astronomy observatory? Work at NASA, or maybe work at CERN? Do you think it is a competitive job market (lots of people, few jobs), or is there a "demand" for these kinds of people with little "supply" to choose from?
You don't have to actually have the degree to answer the 2nd section of questions, i'm just looknig for input. Its just something i am passionate about learning, but im in a "once i know it, just what can i do with it" situation. Despite my passion, i don't want to take the time and money to learn something completely useless.
Me personally, I want a space ship that would allow me to tour the universe. But studying cosmology might be a better bet. Maybe I could work at McDonald's if I have a BA in science. A degree will help you land a job. It may not be the job you want but that's the way the cookie crumbles. If employment is really an issue, talk to a guidance counselor.
My question is more focused on what types of employment utilize people with that type of education. Guidance counselors at my highschool haven't been that great of help on the subject.
"what kind of jobs can you get with a degree in astrophysics?"
"huh? astro-what?"
They are not much help in answering employment and job opportunity questions on any profession requiring greater or equivalent education to a low-level engineer. If i perhaps wanted to go into the trades, fastfood, or become a nurse then i could receive all the help necessary.
There aren't enough students with as much enthusiasm as me. If every one of them actually cared about their future and education, our counselors would be more prepared to answer my kind of questions. Drugs, alcohol, and rap seem to be more popular among the masses than a bachelors or masters degree
.
"what kind of jobs can you get with a degree in astrophysics?"
"huh? astro-what?"
They are not much help in answering employment and job opportunity questions on any profession requiring greater or equivalent education to a low-level engineer. If i perhaps wanted to go into the trades, fastfood, or become a nurse then i could receive all the help necessary
. There aren't enough students with as much enthusiasm as me. If every one of them actually cared about their future and education, our counselors would be more prepared to answer my kind of questions. Drugs, alcohol, and rap seem to be more popular among the masses than a bachelors or masters degree
.
QUOTE (Michael J+Apr 19 2009, 09:48 PM)
My question is more focused on what types of employment utilize people with that type of education. Guidance counselors at my highschool haven't been that great of help on the subject.
"what kind of jobs can you get with a degree in astrophysics?"
"huh? astro-what?"
They are not much help in answering employment and job opportunity questions on any profession requiring greater or equivalent education to a low-level engineer. If i perhaps wanted to go into the trades, fastfood, or become a nurse then i could receive all the help necessary.
There aren't enough students with as much enthusiasm as me. If every one of them actually cared about their future and education, our counselors would be more prepared to answer my kind of questions. Drugs, alcohol, and rap seem to be more popular among the masses than a bachelors or masters degree .
Astrophysicists have pretty much only two employment tracks. One is government work, i.e. NASA or JPL, and that's pretty limited. The other, where the majority of astrophysicists work is in academia.
On the other hand, if you opt for something which will give you employment over something you really want to do, you'll be kicking yourself in twenty years.
"what kind of jobs can you get with a degree in astrophysics?"
"huh? astro-what?"
They are not much help in answering employment and job opportunity questions on any profession requiring greater or equivalent education to a low-level engineer. If i perhaps wanted to go into the trades, fastfood, or become a nurse then i could receive all the help necessary
. There aren't enough students with as much enthusiasm as me. If every one of them actually cared about their future and education, our counselors would be more prepared to answer my kind of questions. Drugs, alcohol, and rap seem to be more popular among the masses than a bachelors or masters degree
. Astrophysicists have pretty much only two employment tracks. One is government work, i.e. NASA or JPL, and that's pretty limited. The other, where the majority of astrophysicists work is in academia.
On the other hand, if you opt for something which will give you employment over something you really want to do, you'll be kicking yourself in twenty years.
Me, I'd just say "Fuckit" study what you want and let the dice roll. Everyone must conform to society but you can at least still have an imagination. What kind of job awaits in the future is not on my mind.
Hi Michael.
Been there, and done a bunch of things and I think there is a basic strategy.
An example is I got a couple degrees, several advanced certifications, made some money, paid a lot of alimony and child support, cross cultural experience, flew airplanes, built a motorcycle, wandered alone in wilderness areas, lots of writing, lots of lecturing, oodles of other things and now retired so I can do whatever I damn well please. All along I made an adequate living doing a job that was satisfying and not too boring and did lots of other stuff on the side.
Michael, you never really know what life may throw at you and what you may do until you're doing it.
Obviously you're smart and can learn things most people can't understand, and the basic problem is getting into a place where you can do what you love to do and also make a decent living. A major task is first figuring out what you may really love, and it means an education that gives you a chance to explore a wide range of possibilities before you narrow things down. Don't narrow yourself down too soon, even if they think you're a perpetual student.
The basic strategy is try to figure out a two track plan. One is a profession where you can make a decent living whatever the economy does, and that does not get you locked in so you get too bored. The other parallel track is continuing education (formal or on your own) in the stuff that really grabs you but that may not seem to pay off right away. You can do both and make best use of the opportunities that come along.
spo
Been there, and done a bunch of things and I think there is a basic strategy.
An example is I got a couple degrees, several advanced certifications, made some money, paid a lot of alimony and child support, cross cultural experience, flew airplanes, built a motorcycle, wandered alone in wilderness areas, lots of writing, lots of lecturing, oodles of other things and now retired so I can do whatever I damn well please. All along I made an adequate living doing a job that was satisfying and not too boring and did lots of other stuff on the side.
Michael, you never really know what life may throw at you and what you may do until you're doing it.
Obviously you're smart and can learn things most people can't understand, and the basic problem is getting into a place where you can do what you love to do and also make a decent living. A major task is first figuring out what you may really love, and it means an education that gives you a chance to explore a wide range of possibilities before you narrow things down. Don't narrow yourself down too soon, even if they think you're a perpetual student.
The basic strategy is try to figure out a two track plan. One is a profession where you can make a decent living whatever the economy does, and that does not get you locked in so you get too bored. The other parallel track is continuing education (formal or on your own) in the stuff that really grabs you but that may not seem to pay off right away. You can do both and make best use of the opportunities that come along.
spo
Well, i think i will keep my education a little more broad than i had planned. I will most likely plan to major in the astrophysics, but i will set my self up to be educated in a secondary (perhaps related?) field that should allow me to find employment more easily. That way, if i absolutely cannot find a job in my primary field of education, i am not left stranded, but can fall back onto a different career path.
Thank you all for your input
Thank you all for your input
If you take a physics type subject you are not limited to doing a physics type job when you finish. The skills you will learn on your degree will serve you well in finance (not very popular at the moment, but there will always be bankers). You can train as what we in the UK would call a medical physicist - someone responsible for using and maintaining medical imaging equipment and there's always the fall back position of becoming a teacher.
Don't feel you have to limit your prospects to astro type jobs.
Don't feel you have to limit your prospects to astro type jobs.
You can always move to hollywood and become a consultant for sci-fi shows and movies. Of course, more and more sci-fi television is being filmed in Canada, so you might want to get some cold-weather clothing, too.
QUOTE (AlexG+Apr 20 2009, 03:18 AM)
Astrophysicists have pretty much only two employment tracks. One is government work, i.e. NASA or JPL, and that's pretty limited. The other, where the majority of astrophysicists work is in academia.
There is a third one.
Bob McDonald has to retire sometime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_McDonald_(CBC)
There is a third one.
Bob McDonald has to retire sometime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_McDonald_(CBC)
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