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I am majoring in Aeronautical Science to be an airline pilot in the future. What is a good backup plan for the futue in case I lose my medical?

I am majoring in Aeronautical Science to be an airline pilot. I have private pilot license and instrument rating. I am minoring in computer science but I do not know what I should get Master degree with? (While I am going to build my flight hours as an instructor in my college, I get to have free college credits) #aviation #pilot #airline-industry #career

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Ken’s Answer


Congratulations on looking into options. Your options really depend on how your personality traits relate to various career opportunities. Through interest and aptitude testing and real time in person networking, your can develop a direction plan and support group that will assist you through your education/career journey. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I have developed the following tips that have helped many to achieve their goals.

Ken recommends the following next steps:

The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 ##
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
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Catherine’s Answer

If you enjoy Computer Science, why not continue studying that? It's a field with many jobs and the ability to work almost anywhere. If you have been away from it for awhile (while pursuing your aviation career), you will need to learn new technologies when you come back to it, but having a strong background makes that easier. Good luck!
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Josh’s Answer

It's always good to have a plan, or backup plan in your case, and great that you are thinking about it already. Prior planning will keep you proactive instead of reactive. Computer Science is a great field, I actually started out with that as my major years ago. Due to a long gap I had in finishing college, what I had started with in Computer Science would have been very different due to advances in software and technology. I switched to Aeronautics and some of my Computer Science related college applied as credit.
As for continuing into the Master's program, being mindful that you want a fall back in case you lose your pilot medical certificate, Business Administration is probably at the top of the list for desirable degrees. With that, you could branch out into management positions, contract administration or even finance management. If you want to stay aviation specific, perhaps Aviation Safety would more fit your needs, possibly Aviation Maintenance Management or Operations Management. That path can lead to being an Airport Manager, Director of Maintenance, or an Aviation Safety Officer, all of which are great positions with a desirable salary.
No matter whichever Master's program you choose, accomplishment of such shows great professionalism and the ability to get the job done with great results. Keep pursuing it and you will have opportunities in any profession you desire.
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