# Careers & Hobbies Part of the Composite Materials Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/composite-materials/guide/index.md) *6. Your Composites Future* > **6.** Do ONE of the following: This final requirement asks you to look beyond the badge and imagine where composites knowledge could take you — either as a career or as a lifelong hobby. Choose **one** of the two options below. - **Option A:** Research a composites-related career - **Option B:** Explore a composites-related hobby or interest ## Option A: Careers in Composites The composites industry needs people at every level — from technicians who build parts with their hands to engineers who design the next generation of materials. Here are career paths worth researching. ### Materials Engineer / Materials Scientist **What they do:** Design, test, and develop new composite materials and manufacturing processes. They determine which combination of fibers, resins, and processing methods will meet a product's performance requirements. **Education:** Bachelor's degree in materials science, mechanical engineering, or chemical engineering. Graduate degrees open research and leadership roles. **Salary range:** $75,000–$130,000+ depending on industry and experience. **Where they work:** Aerospace (Boeing, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX), automotive (Ford, BMW, Tesla), sporting goods, defense, wind energy. ### Composites Technician / Fabricator **What they do:** Build composite parts by hand lay-up, vacuum bagging, resin infusion, or autoclave curing. They read engineering drawings, cut and place fiber reinforcement, mix and apply resins, and inspect finished parts for defects. **Education:** High school diploma plus on-the-job training or a composites technician certificate program (community colleges and trade schools offer these). **Salary range:** $40,000–$70,000, with experienced technicians in aerospace earning more. **Where they work:** Aerospace manufacturing, boat building, wind turbine blade factories, automotive repair, custom fabrication shops. ### Composite Repair Technician (Aviation) **What they do:** Inspect, assess, and repair damage to composite aircraft structures. This is highly specialized work — a single repair on a commercial aircraft wing can involve removing damaged material, scarfing (beveling) the repair area, laying up new composite plies, vacuum bagging, and curing under precise temperature control. **Education:** FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate, plus specialized composite repair training. Some programs are offered through community colleges and aviation maintenance schools. **Salary range:** $55,000–$90,000+, with airline and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities at the higher end. ### Other Composites Careers - **Quality inspector** — uses ultrasonic, X-ray, and visual methods to verify part integrity - **Process engineer** — optimizes manufacturing methods for speed, cost, and quality - **Sales engineer** — sells composite products and materials to manufacturers (requires both technical knowledge and people skills) - **Research scientist** — develops next-generation materials at universities or national labs Video: [Materials Engineer — Careers in Science and Engineering](https://youtu.be/DtosXFgP7C4) Video: [My Job in F1: Rachel, Materials Science Engineer](https://youtu.be/j_xotv7npsQ) ### Researching Your Chosen Career When discussing your findings with your counselor, cover these points: - **Training and education:** What degree, certificate, or training is required? How long does it take? - **Costs:** What does the education cost? Are there scholarships, apprenticeships, or employer-sponsored training? - **Job prospects:** Is the field growing? The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook has data on job growth projections. - **Salary:** What is the typical starting salary? What can experienced professionals earn? - **Day-to-day duties:** What does a typical workday look like? - **Career advancement:** Where can this career lead over 10–20 years? [Bureau of Labor Statistics — Materials Engineers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm): Official job outlook data including salary, education requirements, and projected growth for materials engineers. ## Option B: Composites as a Hobby Composites skills open up a world of making, building, and customizing. Many people who learn composites through their profession — or through Scouting — turn it into a lifelong hobby. ### Custom Sporting Equipment Build your own surfboard, skateboard, longboard, or snowboard using composite lay-up techniques. The maker community has extensive tutorials for shaping a foam blank and glassing it with fiberglass or carbon fiber. Custom boards let you dial in the flex, weight, and shape that factory boards cannot match. ### Model Building and RC Vehicles Radio-controlled aircraft, boats, and cars use composite fuselages, wings, and hulls extensively. Building and repairing RC composite parts teaches you precision lay-up in miniature — skills that transfer directly to full-scale work. ### Boat Building and Repair From small sailboats to kayaks, composite construction is the standard. Learning to build or repair a fiberglass boat is a practical skill that can save thousands of dollars and give you a craft you built with your own hands. ### Cosplay and Prop Making Carbon fiber and fiberglass are popular in the cosplay community for building armor, helmets, and props that are lightweight and durable. Composite techniques create smooth, professional-looking pieces that hold up to convention wear. Video: [Surfboard Shaping and Glassing](https://youtu.be/rYYuDt8Z2cY) Video: [Resin Infused Skateboard Using Carbon Fibre, Flax and Bio Resin](https://youtu.be/s2aS1G6yp-4) ### Exploring Your Chosen Hobby When discussing your findings with your counselor, cover: - **What training is needed?** Can you learn from online tutorials, or do you need a class? - **What expenses are involved?** Materials, tools, workspace — what does it cost to get started? - **What organizations support it?** Local clubs, online communities, maker spaces? - **Short-term goals:** What is the first project you would tackle? - **Long-term goals:** Where could this hobby take you in a year? Five years? > **Tip** > > If your composites hobby leads you to build something for your troop or community — a repair on a canoe, a custom equipment rack, a lightweight trail marker — you might have the seed of an Eagle Scout project. ![Four hobby applications of composites: custom surfboards, RC aircraft building, boat building, and cosplay prop making](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/composite-materials/guide/composites-hobby-montage?v=ed4f5726) [SAMPE — Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering](https://www.sampe.org/): Professional society for materials engineers — offers student memberships, competitions, and educational resources. Video: [Materials Science — A Building Block for the Future of Aerospace Technologies](https://youtu.be/c0EXAuWkMqA) You have completed all six requirements. Head to Extended Learning for deeper dives into advanced topics and resources that go beyond the badge. --- - Previous: [Evaluating Your Work](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/composite-materials/guide/req5c/index.md) - Next: [Extended Learning](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/composite-materials/guide/extended-learning/index.md)