The 2026 AIAA Sci-Tech conference was my first time attending an aerospace conference. I entered the conference with the goal of forming a clearer picture of what aerospace companies are looking for in their entry-level and new-grad hires. After attending, I can confidently say I feel much better prepared to enter the workforce.
On Monday, I attended the first “Career Acceleration” program hosted at AIAA Sci-Tech. This program consisted of a series of presentations and Q&A boards focused on the hiring process and the early months of entry-level positions at aerospace companies such as Boeing and Lockheed. The program culminated in a “Meet the Employers” event that I used to better connect with hiring staff from various companies. Over the course of the day, I took several pages' worth of notes on resume writing, interviews, communication methods, and early-career tips. While many of the talking points were similar to what I’ve learned at university, many were completely new to me.
After touching up my resume Monday night, I spent Tuesday putting many of the lessons I learned on Monday into practice on the Expo floor. Over the course of the day, I approached almost every Aerospace company present. I used each conversation to better understand what companies were looking for in new hires and how I could best apply myself in my last year of university to meet those requirements.
Tuesday night, I got to meet the rest of the Higher-Orbits members who were present over dinner. I got to learn more about each student’s experience with Go-For-Launch, including what it is like to win one of the events and have your experiment flown into space.
I spent much of Wednesday once more on the Expo floor. I talked to some of the companies I missed on Tuesday and followed up with a few others I still had questions about. I also finally noticed one of the rockets I helped build during my time with the ERFSEDS club at Embry-Riddle was on display in the main hall.
My time at the AIAA Sci-Tech conference concluded with the Higher-Orbits presentation in the main hub. During the presentation highlighted how Higher-Orbits inspired me to dream and helped prepare me to reach that dream.
While I had to return to my classes for the rest of the week, my three days at the AIAA Sci-Tech conference were an amazing opportunity. I learned more about the industry in those three days than I had in the past few years. I am incredibly grateful to Michelle and Higher-Orbits for helping me to not only to attend the Sci-Tech 2026 conference, but also to stay inspired.
Written By Stellar Student Jordan Kalisher
