I'm interested in Space... where do I start?

Back in 1998, I was in my final year of a BSc in Physics, at the University of Sussex. I didn’t know what I was going to do after my degree. I did know a couple of courses that I was taking: Cosmology; and Remote Sensing, had sparked my fascination with space science.   

At the time, I had no idea that there already was a space industry in the UK, and that there were jobs where I could follow my passion. Fast forward a couple of years, I had completed a Masters in Space Science and achieved a role as a Payload Systems Engineer, working for what is now Airbus Defence and Space. However, it was an agency that I signed up with that got me the interview – I had no idea that the company even existed. 

When I was starting out, there was very little information on the opportunities available. Today, through education initiatives, such as our Space Inspirations programme and careers information from the newly relaunched SpaceCareers.uk website, students today have much more information available to them. The Space Careers website advertises jobs across the space industry. The website provides job profiles and career stories, from astrobiologists to social media specialists.  Another great resource is our careers in space video profiles – featuring a diverse range of roles across the sector.   

The UK space industry was one of the few sectors to be growing throughout the pandemic, and data from last year shows that it comprises 1,590 organisations and an estimated 48,800 jobs.   

So, what can you do if you are interested in space?  Well, the sky isn’t even the limit.