please, point me in the right direction

i think this falls under more than one "category"

yesterday, i was driving home with my son. i decided to take the moment to talk about "the future".

i asked him about what he wants to be when he grows up. he said that there are two things that have caught his attention: programming for video games and being a weapons expert (like on the show ULTIMATE WARRIORS).

my question is this: where would i help him to start researching these two fields? where should i tell him to start looking? what should i tell him to start reading?

any info would be helpful

tia

Re: please, point me in the right direction

I know that Acclaim acclaim.com is a very big, local video game development company. You might be able to go there and talk with some of the staff. Find out what's involved, what type of schooling you need, etc.

As a former software engineer, I know that writing software isn't as exciting as it may seem to someone not in the business. Make sure DS realizes that it's not just playing video games all day. There's a lot of coding involved.

Re: please, point me in the right direction

I know there is a good school for video games- my brother friend got recruited to work for EA game before he graduated- I think it's on Long Island

the weapons expert- I would think military training would be the first stop for that

Re: please, point me in the right direction

sounds like a few fields could be good for him-- engineering, computer programming/comp sci. Does he have any interest in the military? So many of my classmates went on to be nuclear engineers after commissioning, and many ended up having specializations in weapons systems. Perhaps look into a JROTC program or start to think about one of the service academies. never too early to start researching admittance into one of them.

Re: please, point me in the right direction

I'm sure the library has books on this stuff where he can do his "own" research. I'm sure the internet is full of info as well, A google search of careers in X field should do it too

Re: please, point me in the right direction

this is a lot of great information to get him/us started.

thanks guys.

about the programming/coding not being "fun"... this is exactly why i want him to start looking into it now (at 14), rather than wait until he's much older before he learns it's "not for him".

again, thanks

Re: please, point me in the right direction

Weapons expert -- mechanical engineering. When my DH graduated school, one of the jobs he interviewed for and was offered (but ultimately turned down for a different opportunity) was a job developing weapons. An engineering degree, coupled with military experience, would be ideal for this field. This combination also has the added benefit of opening doors in other areas.

FWIW, my DH has no military experience and still could have worked in weapons development... He just chose to go in a different direction.

Re: please, point me in the right direction