• Question: What advice would you give people who might want to work at a space agency in the future?

    Asked by 120trn28 to Anne, Beth, COLFlight, Jon, Tom on 12 Oct 2015. This question was also asked by U6MUR, SpaldingHighSchool9S, Lily, 17ellfur.
    • Photo: Beth Healey

      Beth Healey answered on 12 Oct 2015:

      Hi there! This is Adrianos from Greece, I am Beth’s predecessor as a research doctor for the European Space Agency in Antarctica and I am filling in for her today due to connectivity problems over there.

      I struggled with your question too a few years ago, but i think that what is important is to remain focused and keep making an effort. Space (and space agencies!) cover a lot of disciplines, from Science to Economics, from Art to Computer programming and from Medicine to Engineering. So you need to be good at the field you choose, keep looking for opportunities and connect to the “space world”. One way to do that is by attending space-related events, and by participating or volunteering to help with others!

      To me it was a great help to attend the International Space University after finishing my Medical Degree, because through it i found a way to connect to the European Space Agency. I am sure there are many opportunities like that if we have our eyes open. So, i’d say the key is “be good at what you do, make sure it fits the space world, volunteer and keep looking for opportunities”!

    • Photo: Columbus Flight Directors

      Columbus Flight Directors answered on 13 Oct 2015:

      Here at the UK Space Agency we have people with all sorts of backgrounds – some have science degrees, others are apprentices, some used to work in Georgraphy or have qualifications in Pyschology or Philosphy. The main thing is that we all enjoy our work, and have the right skills for the job we are doing.

      The best advice I can give you is to find something you enjoy doing, that you want to do, and do it as well as you can. – Follow your dreams! I wanted to be a flight director when I was 17, but I didn’t see how it could happen. So I went and did a Physics degree (I liked Physics at school) and then found a masters degree in Space Engineering (I liked Space). I never forgot about being a flight director and when the opportunity to apply for a job in Munich at Col-CC came about I took it, and I got the job. And then did the same thing years later and now I work for the UK Space Agency.

      So just work hard at the things you enjoy doing 🙂

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