Preparing Your Students for Careers in Aerospace Engineering and Design with SolidProfessor
Discover how SolidProfessor equips incoming aerospace engineering graduates to fill a growing talent gap, with expert-designed coursework and vital hands-on training. Learn strategies like multi-modal learning and how to flip the classroom to bridge the skills shortage and help students prepare to enter the aerospace industry.
An Engineering Skills Shortage and How to Prepare Incoming Aerospace Engineering Graduates
It’s estimated that there will be over two million unfilled jobs in the wider engineering and manufacturing workforce by 2030. And the demand is growing.
There is a skill shortage. So, what?
The cost of those missing jobs is estimated to negatively impact the U.S. economy alone by up to a trillion dollars by 2030, according to a study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute.
Compounding the problem is the retirement exodus. Baby boomers are retiring faster than their roles can be filled. Not only that, but the tacit knowledge transfer that needs to take place between retiring aerospace engineers and manufacturers and incoming new graduates is often overlooked by employers as an important step in getting new engineers up to speed.
And even though there have been significant investments and legislative bills introduced to Congress to increase STEM education, there are still not enough students pursuing engineering and manufacturing studies and careers in general to fill the void.
Having plenty of opportunities coming out of school for a job is a positive sign for students just entering the workforce — but it’s a major problem for employers in this field to address. More specifically, given that JP Morgan and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce project, the aerospace industry is on its way to a trillion-dollar behemoth by 2040 — there will be a lot of job vacancies to fill!
In January of 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the manufacturing sector saw an uptick in job creation. As of February 2024, both Boeing and Blue Origin have over 1,000 open job roles each.
With three out of every four R&D or engineering-focused companies corroborating that there is, indeed, a significant talent gap, what can be done and what is already happening to solve this problem?
Some Solutions: What Can Educators and Employers Do to Help Fill the Talent Gap?
Project-based learning is a proven method to increase knowledge retention and engage students.
Given there is a significant gap in new graduates and engineering, design and manufacturing roles, employers can offer higher salary opportunities and benefits such as remote work to attract talent, and colleges and high schools can invest more heavily in STEM education initiatives. One interesting idea is from Darryll J. Pines, Ph.D., to make engineering a requirement for every high school graduate in the same way that courses in math and English are general education requirements. It’s a novel idea.
SolidProfessor also has a plan for how to incentivize and encourage the next generation of engineers and designers. Our commitment to education is supported by our extensive library of engineer-designed coursework and learning paths made for both K-12 and college learners in the design and manufacturing space.
Importance of Hands-On Training, Apprenticeships, and Commitment to Lifelong Learning and Curiosity
In conjunction with hands-on, on-demand training that you can get with SolidProfessor, educators can also encourage their students to apply for internships. Not only is this something that employers look for in job applicants, it also offers a richer learning experience for the student. Karcher Morris, Engineering Instructor and Graduate Student at University of California San Diego, writes: “…hands-on application is really important for our classes because when students are trying to get internships or work in the industry, they need to feel prepared for that environment.”
Many schools have apprenticeship programs like the University of Colorado at Boulder, which offers training for students in exciting projects in aerospace, where they get paid to work on projects in conjuncture with top aerospace companies and organizations.
SolidProfessor’s Training and Development for Incoming Engineers in the Aerospace Field
Used by top companies for continuous learning and training: Students are challenged with learning the same principles, applications, and software used by engineers and designers at top-performing manufacturing and design companies.
SolidProfessor helps aerospace engineering professionals and students learn and keep their engineering and design software knowledge sharp. SolidProfessor provides resources to help educators prepare students for in-demand job markets, offering strategies to overcome skill shortages and retirements, as well as attract a new generation of aerospace engineers.
SolidProfessor’s library of engineering content is vital for training future engineers in design and manufacturing software, skills and concepts. There are many reasons to add SolidProfessor to your training program, but here are just a few:
- SolidProfessor is the largest on-demand library of engineering and design tutorials created by engineers.
- Our content has concise, high-quality video tutorials that are typically 2-7 minutes long.
- We offer specialized exam preparation and training paths to certification in various engineering and design applications.
- The courses are self-paced and don’t rely on a traditional textbook.
- SolidProfessor provides opportunities for your students to test their knowledge and skills.
- We provide resources for schools to research funding to nurture future engineers and designers.
