If the rumours are true and Justin Bieber does end up being launched into space by Virgin Galactic in the near future, does it make the notion of space travel seem less cool? Maybe. But rest assured, there are far more ongoing and exciting projects in space than the A-list publicity ploys you've likely been hearing about.

What you may not know is that Canada's space technologies companies are at the forefront of global research and development, especially as they relate to space travel. According to the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) website, more than 5,000 skilled workers, scientists, and engineers across the country contribute to the development of satellite-based communication services, space robotics, and Earth observation.

Dr. Jason Lassaline, associate professor and associate chair of the department of aerospace engineering at Ryerson University, believes the Canadian aerospace industry is quickly evolving and will soon require targeted occupations and investments. Luckily there are plenty of opportunities for those who feel squeamish at the thought of defying gravity, so if you want to work in something space-related, you don't necessarily have to aspire to be the next Chris Hadfield.

Where are the jobs?

There are people who do development for satellites, says Lassaline. Everything from the satellite'the actual hardware that's in orbit'to the space station that's on the ground. So going to space isn't the only option.

Nor is being an astronaut. Certainly as a kid I was always interested in being an astronaut, being a scientist, being an engineerbecause it's an opportunity to apply science in a productive way, says Lassaline. I'm also realistic in that now that I'm older, it's not likely that I'm going to become an astronaut. In Canada, the opportunity to become an astronaut is a lot slimmer because there are very few opportunities to take on as astronauts and (Canada) can be very, very selective in its criteria.

But don't let this statistic get you down; other opportunities in aerospace engineering are soaring. In fact, approximately 170,000 Canadians from more than 700 companies make up the aerospace engineering industry, with available positions for engineers, designers, mechanics, machinists, technicians, and inspectors. The current retirement rate will play a pivotal role in creating additional opportunities, especially for young scientists, advanced manufacturing technicians, and supply chain management field experts.

I think space and space-related industries are always going to be a significant part of human effort and of human interest, says Lassaline. You're going to see more and more nations actively launching satellites and human space exploration missions. So certainly, I think it's something worthwhile to pursue.

Where are the schools?

There are several recognized Canadian universities that specialize in aerospace engineering at undergraduate and graduate levels, including the University of Toronto, Carleton University, Concordia University, the University of Alberta, and the University of Manitoba.

First-year students in aerospace engineering can typically expect to develop necessary skills in math, physics, and chemistry. According to Lassaline, in aerospace we also introduce some fundamental concepts related to aerospace engineering design: basic exposure to some of the design tools that we use in the industry. Comparatively, fourth-year students will ultimately synthesize a solution to larger problems using all of the requisite knowledge they have gained. We have a capstone design course which is a major component of the final year here at Ryerson, giving them basically a design projectbut in some cases they're actually building prototypes and working models of their design, he says.

Lassaline offers some advice to students considering a career in aerospace engineering: Students who tend to go into our program already have a genuine interest in either being an astronaut, being involved with rockets, or really like aircraft. Most have a strong interest at a fairly young ageso for them it seems like an obvious choice. But in general, those who are interested in a challenging yet rewarding field and are interested in math and science, (in terms of how you might apply it, how things work, and how we can make things better), are the sort of people who will be interested in aerospace engineering.

[Image: NASA]