What a Project Management Specialist at Boeing Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Aerospace Industry
Success in the aerospace industry, according to James, a Project Management Specialist III at Boeing, hinges on "being curious" and a willingness to learn; this involves actively listening to experts and understanding how seemingly disparate aspects of a project impact the overall goal, even if it is outside of one's immediate responsibilities, because "we're building aircraft...these things are millions and millions of dollars".
Curiosity, Active Listening, Problem-Solving, Teamwork, Project Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
James Moody
Project Management Specialist III
Boeing
Purdue University, 2014
NA
Industrial, Supply Chain Management
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Curiosity is a key trait for success in this industry, as professionals constantly encounter new challenges and technologies.
2. A willingness to learn from others is crucial, as expertise is often specialized and collaboration is necessary.
3. Understanding the broader context of projects, even outside one's immediate area of responsibility, is vital due to the complexity and high stakes involved in aerospace manufacturing.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
Mainly, say that you're curious. We're on the forefront of a lot of things, whether we're making commercial aircraft, fighter jets, or satellites. We want to be the people others turn to for answers.
You can't just Google everything. So, people are really curious. They nerd out on this stuff.
Even if you're not a specific engineer who needs to learn the dynamics of a part of the aircraft or spacecraft, or the accountant going over every penny, you still need to understand what's going on. A lot of things will come up that aren't your day-to-day job, but they still impact it.
So, just be curious. You don't need to be super smart, but you do need to listen. Listening will help you learn. Listen to the people who do know.
I don't need to go to school for four years to learn electrical engineering. I can just talk to somebody who did that and learn it just as quickly.
Be curious about things you don't necessarily have a direct hand in. You'll be fine picking things up to the point where you can execute on them. We're building aircraft, carrying people, and these things are millions and millions of dollars. That's just being curious at the end of the day. You can learn, and then your group can learn.
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