Running head: A CAREER

A Career
Douglas Stevens
BUSN108/ Section 0DG
March 22, 2015
Writing assignment #1

A Career
Merriam-Webster dictionary online (2015) defines a career as a profession for which
one trains and which is undertaken as a permanent calling. My chosen career path is that of an
electrical engineer. Ultimately, my dream career would be to work at NASA as an electrical
engineer. This would entail a great deal of effort and time on my behalf.
Electrical engineers have a vast amount of opportunities in when it comes to career
choices in todays modern world. With the ever increasing integration of technology and
electronics into everyday life, the need for people that design and create these devices will
undoubtedly be on the rise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014) projects a five percent increase
of jobs in the field of electrical engineering between the years 2012 and 2022. Although, this is
below the average for the entire job market, this is statistical evidence that the field is still on the
rise. According to Anthony Fasano (2013), a licensed professional engineer, the top five
company to work for as an electrical engineer are, 1.The Boeing Company, 2. Lockheed Martin
Corporation, 3. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), 4. Google, and 5. Apple
The educational requirements for electrical engineers vary based on the circumstances of
their employment. Some states and companies require special licensing in addition to the basic
Bachelors of Science degree that is required (Bureau, 2014). Specifically, NASA requires a bit
more that. For an entry level position at GS-5 to GS-7, one must have B.S. with minimum 2.9
g.p.a. or one year graduate education, as well as 12 months of experience as an intern or in a
cooperative work program (NASAJobs, n.d.). NASA Jobs (2014) also lists alternative ways to
qualify for entry level positions; a few of these alternatives include:

-For engineering positions, successful completion of a five-year program of study (i.e.

one designed to be completed in no less than five years) of at least 160 semester hours;
-For engineering positions, if you have a professional engineering degree, up to 12
months of appropriate experience gained as a technician or technologist equivalent to the
GS-5 level or higher may be credited in qualifying for GS-7; or
-Successful completion of all requirements for two bachelor's degrees, one in an
appropriate field of science or engineering
All requirements involve secondary education as well a previous work experience in the
aerospace field. The educational requirements to become an electrical engineer can be acquired
at any institute of higher learning that has a school of engineering.
As an electrical engineer working for NASA the benefits and salary are excellent. As an
employee of the federal government you receive full insurance benefits. Some of these include
full health insurance, disability, life insurance, and travel insurance. Other monetary and
nonmonetary benefits listed on NASAJobs (2014) consist of incentive awards program, health
clinic, safety & wellness programs, sick leave, 23 paid vacation days, tuition assistance,
relocation assistance, job portability, and scholarship programs for dependents. As for the
salary of an electrical engineer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014) states:
The median annual wage for electrical engineers was $87,920 in May 2012. The median
wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that
amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,490, and the top
10 percent earned more than $136,690.

With all this information in mind, I find the overall outlook on my chosen career path to
be very promising. With a few more years of education and a bit of work experience, Ill be on
my way to working for NASA as an electrical engineer.

References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2014). Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2014-15 Edition, Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Retrieved March 20, 2015, from
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronicsengineers.htm
Career. (2015). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/career
Fasano, A. (2013, September 30). Top Electrical Engineering Companies To Work For - The
Engineering Career Coach. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://engineeringcareercoach.com/2013/10/01/top-electrical-engineering-companieswork/
NASAJobs. (n.d.). Experience and Education Requirements - Aerospace Technologist (AST)
Retrieved March 20, 2015, from
http://nasajobs.nasa.gov/jobs/civil_service_jobs/qual_req_AST.htm