[JERRY2KONE]

12 years ago if you would have asked me what profession I wanted to be in when I grew up I would have told you that I wanted to be an engineer. When I was 7 years old I had a particular interest in computers and electronic devices. Once we acquired our first home computer anything that went wrong with it, I was the go-to-guy to get it back up and running again. I always wondered how the computer transferred our commands into actions, and that sparked my interest in the computer software field. As I grew up I realized that to pursue my passion as an engineer I would need to develop a set of skills that would help me reach my future goals.

Anyone can go through college and earn a degree, but once you are in the field and start working on projects there are some skills that not even a teacher can help you develop or give to you. An Engineer must be persistent, curious, patient, ambitious, and hard working, in order to be successful. Above all, the most important aspect in becoming an engineer is to be a good problem solver, and have the will and desire to resolve any obstacles that may come your way.

I feel that I possess these skills that are needed to become a successful software engineer, because when a problem is presented to me even if I do not know exactly how to fix it I will find a solution whether it is in a book, or through internet research. Becoming an engineer to me is more than just a job, it is what I have dreamed of doing since I was a young child, and it would be a huge accomplishment in my life goals. I will have a Great job that is consistently changing and challenging me to try new things and develop futuristic software.

I plan to study software engineering, with a focus towards aerospace engineering. Particularly, I am interested in programming missile and missile defense systems as applied towards National Defense or the space industry. I intend on pursuing a master’s degree with the eventual goal of becoming a project manager. I wish to have creative freedom to apply my skills, as well as mentor junior engineers to help build them up within the various programs.

My personal strengths that will assist me in achieving these goals is that I have very high standards for myself and will not settle for anything less because I know that I have the skills and the will to get there. My persistence is what really helps me to get the job done. Just as it did when I first began working on computers. I had no real knowledge of how computers worked or what made them tic, but I knew that I wanted to get the problem solved and worked through the problem until it was back in running order. Everyone has their faults and for me at times I can be somewhat of a procrastinator. I can take longer than I want to finish projects because I can spend considerable amounts of time working out all the details, but I am trying to learn focus, and keep my eye on the essential details to produce a product that meets my own high standards as well as whatever standards are set by my employer while making efficient use of my time.