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I'm an 18 year old currently in my 2nd year of college majoring in Flight Operations (recently came to senses that it is a very pointless degree). I have been looking in to Defense Contracting recently. Initially I wanted to become a pilot in the Air Force, and was planning to do Officer Training School after completing my bachelor degree. I was thinking about switching my major to Mechatronics. Now I have been doing research and finding out that major isn't accredited. I don't know if that is a broken bridge in my situation. I'm struggling to decide what major to pursue to become a defense contractor. What I mainly want to do is design/build/sell weapons and aircrafts to the military, plus make a lot of money. My plan based on my research was to get a degree in mechatronics, go in the air force as an officer titled as an engineer, do flight school on the side because I do want to become a pilot no matter what. I have also learned that if I do military service I can get my security clearance (correct me if I'm wrong) and then after my service I was just planning on applying for major contracting companies, land a job as a contractor and become the next tony stark.
Serious inquires, someone slap me in the face and tell me what path to take, what degree to peruse (recommend good colleges if you can, besides MIT because I did horrible in high school and have poor background because I was a failure until reality hit me) and how I really obtain to becoming a defense contractor raking in cash. Thank You!
one more thing, CEO and presidents of a company like Lockheed Martin all have different majors, are they defense contractors or business men/women? what is this their specific job, because I'm pretty sure they make millions.
Recommend you don't get too specialized and focus on Supply Chain Manangement or Logistics. these majors work well in the private and public sector. Get good grades now and then transfer to a good school.
one more thing, CEO and presidents of a company like Lockheed Martin all have different majors, are they defense contractors or business men/women? what is this their specific job, because I'm pretty sure they make millions.
CEOs and presidents? They could have any degree. Liberal arts, accounting/finance, law, business. They are leaders, people who inspire, visionaries, etc. it's not really a job that you study for in school, rather you develop skills throughout your career, excel in the workplace, and encounter a bit of luck along the way.
Why don't you simply major in engineering? Transfer to a cheap state school, earn a degree, live at home, save money, no student loans. Start at $60K.
Yes, you could become a military pilot with any degree but if you wash out you'll have an engineering degree to fall back on.
yes you will likely get a security clearance provided you are clean. (Also, NEVER lie on those forms or interviews. They don't care if you smoked pot or if you have a DUI but if you lie you are out.)
There are remarkably few jobs that actually involve "weapons systems" in the narrowest sense and a huge percentage of those positions go to a tiny number of people -- very often the core work on things from explosives to aviation to ballistics is done by private firms with large R&D budgets that back very few small numbers of PhDs...
The various Department of Defense relationships with a wide range of both traditional defense firms as well universities and private research organizations is also NOT particularly lucrative for the scientists and engineers -- you are correct that the executives of these places make millions but it is a very narrow "funnel" that winnows down "candidates" many of whom did get their start in parts of the business that enabled them to develop friendships with high ranking military leaders, politicians, foreign governments and other skills that engineers and scientists rarely can develop...
The pay for commissioned officers is rather modest in comparison to the level of responsibility that they have -- even a fresh out of OCS 2nd lieutenant is just over $36k and they often are responsible for operation of weapons worth hundreds of millions -- 2013 Military Pay Scale Chart - For US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines
If you have a strong desire to serve our country I would certainly not discourage you from pursuing this path but I would caution that such a path is unlikely to result in heading up a defense firm or high income...
If you have a strong desire to serve our country I would certainly not discourage you from pursuing this path but I would caution that such a path is unlikely to result in heading up a defense firm or high income...
So what would someone in your experience recommend, what steps should I take? I'm not desiring to be a executive right away I was just wondering, although that would be pretty cool. Since you guys are saying few people are appointed to contracting seats in the weapons area, would it be better to work for a private contract? And everyone is giving me a different major? how important is the correct one? And what steps do I go for after the degree?
if you want to work for a defense contractor, i'd join the military. many people employed by defense contractors have military experience, especially in my area.
with what degree? what job do I do in military? where do I go after military?
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