Advice to High School Students from a NASA Legend

On Thursday of this week, I had the opportunity to attend a lecture at the NC Museum of History by Gerry Griffin.  In case you aren't familiar with his name, you should know that he is a NASA legend.  He was a flight director on all of the manned Apollo missions.  He was the technical consultant for the movies Apollo 13, Contact, and Deep Impact.  He is 82 years old, and he is sharp as a tack, full of energy and stories.  All in all, it was a delightful evening.

At the end of his lecture, he took questions from the audience for about an hour.  There were questions about the Apollo 12 lightning strike at launch and how the Apollo 14 landing was saved by tapping a console with a pen because a small ball of solder had broken loose and caused a short circuit.  Then, someone asked, "What advice would you give to high school students today?"

While the questioner was aiming at students who wanted a place in NASA, Griffin's answer can apply to all.  Whether you are 15 or 55, this is wisdom.

He said that first, a person should get the education and skills they would need for the job they wanted.  In the sixties, this meant having been a military test pilot.  Now, it means getting at least a masters' degree.  (Most astronauts today have a PhD.)  Whether your dream is to fly in space or be a welder, there is some kind of training you are going to need.  Prepare yourself for the path you want to follow.

His second answer was that you should go wherever the job is.  He said that he meets a lot of young people who are rigid about the location they want to live in.  He said, "Go where they send you.  If you work your way up, you'll eventually work your way back to where you want to live."  Again, he was speaking of the fact that NASA jobs exist mostly in California, Texas, and Florida; but I think the advice is universal.  You have to pay your dues, so you can't go in for an interview at any company and start demanding that you not have to move at the age of 22.  Put in your time.  When you get to a position beyond entry level, you will have more freedom (or you may find that you like the place they sent you - we always think we know exactly what we want and then find we can be happy doing other things).  Be open to an experience you didn't plan because that's where good things happen.

His answer boiled down to two things.  Be prepared, and be flexible.