How Can High School Students Prepare for Military Contracting Jobs?

I've heard about military contracting and am interested in the career path. What skills or educational background should I focus on during high school to pursue jobs in military contracting?

While it's great you're looking ahead at potential career paths like military contracting, there's no specific track in high school that caters to this field. That being said, there are some steps you could take to begin laying groundwork and building skills relevant to the industry.

1. Focus on Academics:

Depending on the specific field of military contracting you're interested in, tailored academics could be beneficial. For instance, if you're interested in defense contractors that specialize in technology, pursuing courses in computer science, physics, and math would be useful. Alternatively, if the business and logistical side of contracting is more your speed, a foundation in business classes, economics, and even a foreign language can be advantageous.

2. Technical Skills:

High school is a good time to start building practical technical skills. Depending on your interests, this could mean anything from coding and software development to engineering and robotics. Participate in related clubs and competitions to further enhance and demonstrate these skills.

3. Leadership and Teamwork:

Military contractors often work on significant projects that require strong teamwork and leadership skills. Getting involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports teams, Model UN, debate clubs, student government, can help nurture these traits.

4. Physical Fitness:

While not always a prerequisite, good physical fitness can be helpful, especially if you envision working in field roles. Participating in high school sports can be a great way to maintain physical fitness and work on team-building skills.

5. Networking:

Try to connect with individuals who are currently in the field or pursue internships and job shadowing in related areas. Networking can give you valuable insights about the industry and possibly open doors for future opportunities.

6. Exploration:

Lastly, explore broadly. High school is a time for exploration, so keep an open mind. Military contracting is a broad and diverse field, and your interests may evolve as you learn more about it.

Remember, the path to a career in military contracting can be varied and flexible, and the experiences you gain now in high school could prove invaluable in the future.