Expert: Paul Soderman - 5/24/2005

Question
sir i have completed my 10+2 in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Hyderabad in India.Now i am loking for an institution which could help me to become me an aeronautical engineer as i love the work they do and dream to do the same.
     I have choosed an institution at Pune in INDIA (Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering and Information Technology,www.iiaeit.org) which trains for aeronautical engineering. The degree will be awarded by Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI).
     Now sir i want to know from you,wether this degree will be helpful for me to get a good job in a reputed organisation preferably at NASA.
     Sir Iam eagerly waiting for your response.

Answer
Durlav
Congratulations on your choice of professions.  I found aeronautical engineering to be a very rewarding career.  However, it would be difficult for you to get a job with NASA because government jobs are only open to American citizens.  There are many contractors who work with NASA that do not have that requirment, but they usually require some form of residential status.  That said, I worked with many fine Indian engineers at NASA and affiliated contractors, and most of them came to America the same way.  They got accepted into a graduate program at some American university.  In the process of getting an advanced degree, they got the proper papers, and found the contacts necessary to find a good job.  I assume it still works that way, but am cautioned by the poor aerospace economy right now and the poor funding for NASA.  But who knows what the future will bring.

Good luck.

Paul