Right now, I'm in college and I'm currently majoring in computer science. However, I want to change this and either become involved in the aviation field or become involved in the law enforcement field.

I have always been in love with aviation, it was my first passion as a kid. At first, I wanted to grow up to be a pilot but that faded away once I got older. However, I still want to be involved in the aviation industry like as a aerospace engineer or Air Traffic Controller...something like that.

On the other hand, I want to be involved in the law enforcement field. Not as a police officer but as a US Customs Agent or Border Patrol Agent.

I want help and suggestions in deciding which career you guys think I should enter. I know that at the end of the day it's up to me to decide but your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

When I started reading your post, I was thinking Air Traffic Controller, they certainly use computers, your knowledge gained in computer science will certainly assist in that career.

How about investigative work, in the civilian side, with computers for US Customs Agent or Border Patrol Agent? I suppose the CIA or FBI is out of the question?

When I started reading your post, I was thinking Air Traffic Controller, they certainly use computers, your knowledge gained in computer science will certainly assist in that career.

How about investigative work, in the civilian side, with computers for US Customs Agent or Border Patrol Agent? I suppose the CIA or FBI is out of the question?

I have some experience in Computer Science but I don't have a degree in it.

Also, I don't want to join the CIA or FBI.

I have some experience in Computer Science but I don't have a degree in it.

Also, I don't want to join the CIA or FBI.
Experience still looks good on the résumé.

Experience still looks good on the résumé.

That is true.

That is true.
Good luck.

If I think any more, I will post it here.

Good luck.

If I think any more, I will post it here.

Thank you.

The first thing I would do is to take a piece of paper (or you can do it on a computer) and make a PRO/CON chart. No matter how insignificant you think either the pro or con is, WRITE IT DOWN. This should give you some insight as to what to expect when you finally make up your mind.

You should do research into those fields. You are not going to get too much insight into those fields here because I don't believe there are any board members in those fields. You can Google what jobs are available in each field.

When I was in the service and wanted to retrain, I had no idea what job I wanted to do. I went all around base asking people, "Tell me about your job? What exactly do you do? Do you like it? Would you recommend this job to other people?"  etc. etc. That is something you can do and you can create a list of questions you want to ask. I'm sure there are probably a lot of people willing to answer your questions. After you talk to people, you can add to your PRO/CON list.

Good luck with your search.



Cat

Does your college have a careers office?  They might be able to offer advice better than we can.  One thing my sons school had was access to a website where you answered lots of questions and it suggested careers/fields f work based on your areas of interest and academic ability etc.  It made several very good suggestions to my son and really made him think about the direction he might take next with the subjects he is currently studying.

The first thing I would do is to take a piece of paper (or you can do it on a computer) and make a PRO/CON chart. No matter how insignificant you think either the pro or con is, WRITE IT DOWN. This should give you some insight as to what to expect when you finally make up your mind.

You should do research into those fields. You are not going to get too much insight into those fields here because I don't believe there are any board members in those fields. You can Google what jobs are available in each field.

When I was in the service and wanted to retrain, I had no idea what job I wanted to do. I went all around base asking people, "Tell me about your job? What exactly do you do? Do you like it? Would you recommend this job to other people?"  etc. etc. That is something you can do and you can create a list of questions you want to ask. I'm sure there are probably a lot of people willing to answer your questions. After you talk to people, you can add to your PRO/CON list.

Good luck with your search.



Cat

Yeah, that's actually very helpful. I never thought about that.

Thank you :).

Does your college have a careers office?  They might be able to offer advice better than we can.  One thing my sons school had was access to a website where you answered lots of questions and it suggested careers/fields f work based on your areas of interest and academic ability etc.  It made several very good suggestions to my son and really made him think about the direction he might take next with the subjects he is currently studying.

Yeah, my college does have a career center.

However, they primarily recommend fields related to computer science but I don't want to do that.

However, I will check out websites that gives me a good idea about the career I want. Thank you :).

As you know ReignMan my degree is Computer Engineering, which has classes that are similar to Computer Science but many differences. If you have any trouble just ask me for some tips. Anything dealing with Computers or Engineering in general is a lot more challenging than regular 4 year degrees so I understand it's not for everybody.

As you know ReignMan my degree is Computer Engineering, which has classes that are similar to Computer Science but many differences. If you have any trouble just ask me for some tips. Anything dealing with Computers or Engineering in general is a lot more challenging than regular 4 year degrees so I understand it's not for everybody.

Well, I'm no longer going to be in the computer/tech field but thanks for the offer anyways :)

Right now, I'm in college and I'm currently majoring in computer science. However, I want to change this and either become involved in the aviation field or become involved in the law enforcement field.

I know how you feel, in one sense. I first chose computer science as a major because I thought it seemed like it would be interesting. But when I got to the upper division courses I found it very overwhelming. So I switched to liberal arts (that was my choice). For you, if aviation and/or law enforcement is what you'd like, I would say go for it, but I would like to read the rest of your post first...



I have always been in love with aviation, it was my first passion as a kid. At first, I wanted to grow up to be a pilot but that faded away once I got older. However, I still want to be involved in the aviation industry like as a aerospace engineer or Air Traffic Controller...something like that.

On the other hand, I want to be involved in the law enforcement field. Not as a police officer but as a US Customs Agent or Border Patrol Agent.

I want help and suggestions in deciding which career you guys think I should enter. I know that at the end of the day it's up to me to decide but your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

There are certain fields of interest that I have enjoyed over my life time as well, but as I got older I realized they wouldn't be the right fit for me, due to all the preparation and stuff involved; I figured I would not have the time and patience for it all.


So, let me ask you this: Right now, are you more interested in aviation, or in law enforcement?

Yeah, my college does have a career center.

That's good. I consulted my college career center when I was feeling overwhelmed with Co Sci.



However, they primarily recommend fields related to computer science but I don't want to do that.

In my career center there was an advisor who tried to steer me in that direction too, but I could not go for it.



However, I will check out websites that gives me a good idea about the career I want. Thank you :).

That would be good to do. O0

I know how you feel, in one sense. I first chose computer science as a major because I thought it seemed like it would be interesting. But when I got to the upper division courses I found it very overwhelming. So I switched to liberal arts (that was my choice). For you, if aviation and/or law enforcement is what you'd like, I would say go for it, but I would like to read the rest of your post first...

There are certain fields of interest that I have enjoyed over my life time as well, but as I got older I realized they wouldn't be the right fit for me, due to all the preparation and stuff involved; I figured I would not have the time and patience for it all.


So, let me ask you this: Right now, are you more interested in aviation, or in law enforcement?

I don't know lol.

I would say that I'm 55% interested in aviation and 45% interested in law enforcement right now.

That's good. I consulted my college career center when I was feeling overwhelmed with Co Sci.

In my career center there was an advisor who tried to steer me in that direction too, but I could not go for it.
We were in the same boat :P.


That would be good to do. O0

Thanks! :)

My advice is to follow your bliss, but first you need to find it.  GOOD LUCK

I don't know lol.

I would say that I'm 55% interested in aviation and 45% interested in law enforcement right now.

Fair enough. O0



We were in the same boat :P.
Thanks! :)

Yeah, so I made a decision to change my academic major (as previously stated)... and I also took computer programming courses at a community college (since that was a field that interested me) while simultaneously doing my liberal arts major at the university. (I had classes at one school on Monday/Wednesday, and classes at the other place on Tuesday/Thursday.)

My advice is to follow your bliss, but first you need to find it.  GOOD LUCK

Thanks! :)

Fair enough. O0

Yeah, so I made a decision to change my academic major (as previously stated)... and I also took computer programming courses at a community college (since that was a field that interested me) while simultaneously doing my liberal arts major at the university. (I had classes at one school on Monday/Wednesday, and classes at the other place on Tuesday/Thursday.)

Yeah, it often does take some time to figure it out.

Yeah, it often does take some time to figure it out.

Yeah, so I ended up getting a certificate in computer programming (this was from the community college)...but it wasn't good for any job positions. :-\\ I then completed my B.A. in liberal arts, with a minor in math.

That's another thing...when I sought to change my academic major, I had thought of changing it to math...but I explored that option and it contained a physics class, which I took, but struggled with and barely passed.

Yeah, so I ended up getting a certificate in computer programming (this was from the community college)...but it wasn't good for any job positions. :-\\ I then completed my B.A. in liberal arts, with a minor in math.

That's another thing...when I sought to change my academic major, I had thought of changing it to math...but I explored that option and it contained a physics class, which I took, but struggled with and barely passed.

That's great! O0

Yeah, my college does have a career center.

However, they primarily recommend fields related to computer science but I don't want to do that.


How short-sighted of them! Lots of people start degree courses without much clue what they want to do at the end so they should be prepared to talk about all your options not just focus on the course you've studied.


However, I will check out websites that gives me a good idea about the career I want. Thank you :).


The website my son used is kudos.cascaid.co.uk.

Not sure if it is open to everyone, as I said his school told us about it and gave us like a password

How short-sighted of them! Lots of people start degree courses without much clue what they want to do at the end so they should be prepared to talk about all your options not just focus on the course you've studied.

The website my son used is kudos.cascaid.co.uk.

Not sure if it is open to everyone, as I said his school told us about it and gave us like a password

Yeah, that's not available to me and I'm also not in the UK. Thanks anyways :).

Right now, I'm in college and I'm currently majoring in computer science. However, I want to change this and either become involved in the aviation field or become involved in the law enforcement field.

I have always been in love with aviation, it was my first passion as a kid. At first, I wanted to grow up to be a pilot but that faded away once I got older. However, I still want to be involved in the aviation industry like as a aerospace engineer or Air Traffic Controller...something like that.

On the other hand, I want to be involved in the law enforcement field. Not as a police officer but as a US Customs Agent or Border Patrol Agent.

I want help and suggestions in deciding which career you guys think I should enter. I know that at the end of the day it's up to me to decide but your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Air Marshal? It would include both worlds, in a sense.

Air Marshal? It would include both worlds, in a sense.

That's pretty close but I wouldn't want to sit for long hours on flights lol.

If you can stick with a STEM field for a major, say math or physics or Engineering, it may interest you to seek a position with an Aerospace firm.  I work for a very large Aerospace firm - have for many years, they've treated me well.  Over the last couple years we've been hiring like crazy, including young just-out-of-school hirees. There is a lot of work and more hiring is expected in the near term.  You'd need a STEM degree to get in, though (for most good positions).  The work can be stressful at times but is very good overall and the pay is good and if you like Avionics it's a great place to be.  Just my two cents.  :)