Careers and prospects

Past experience confirms that Southampton graduates are in a very competitive position to obtain career opportunities in all areas of aerospace engineering including fixed and rotary wing aircraft, spacecraft, propulsion, and aerospace operations. As a result of our research activity in this area, some of our graduates have successfully pursued careers in the motor racing industry. Others have taken flying training and pursued careers as pilots in the civil or military sectors. The multidisciplinary nature of a Southampton degree means that graduates also readily obtain employment in many non-aerospace industries, particularly the commercial sector.

Star Alumni

Adrian Newey: Aeronautics & Astronautics, 1980, F1 Mclaren designer, now Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Formula One racing team

Career profiles

• Paul Eccleston: Spacecraft Thermal Control Engineer / Spacecraft Assembly Integration & Test Engineer
• Dennis Willison: RAF Officer and pilot
• Louise Wasilewski: VP Business Development
• Tim Baldwin: Head of IM Maintenance and Engineering Delivery Unit
• Kate Gill: Systems Engineering Consultant
• Mark Kinnersley: Technical Director
• Steve Maddox: Systems Engineer
• David Selwyn: Airline pilot
• Nicola Beveridge: Propulsion and Systems Engineer (Young Graduate Trainee)
• Paul Loasby: Engineering Dynamics Specialist

First destinations of 2007 Graduates

The graph illustrates the first destinations of 2007 Graduates from Aeronautics & Astronautics undergraduate courses in the School of Engineering Sciences. The data was collected between December 2007 and March 2008. It is important to note that the survey looks at what graduates are doing only six months after graduation.

Breakdown of destinations

52 graduates took part in the survey.

Did you know that...

• The average starting salary was £23,211* compared to national average salary of
  £20,000 (HESA, 2008). The highest reported salary was £30,000* (* where reported)
• Recent research has shown that the average salaries for graduates rise by about 37% in the first three years of their careers and that graduates earn, on average, over their lifetimes about £100,000 more after tax than those with only two A-levels (Read full news article...)

Employment details (data taken from the last four years)

Other Southampton sites:

• Careers Advisory Service

University news:

• News feeds