Jaden Caradine, a United States Marine Corps veteran, is pursuing his lifelong goal of becoming an engineer through a NASA Pathways internship. Caradine’s journey involved a deliberate five-year stint in the Marines, followed by studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Caradine knew he wanted to be an engineer from a young age, recalling building with Legos and recognizing the practical application of math. He enlisted in the Marines directly after high school, serving as a mechanic for four years while stationed in Japan. During his service, he engaged with books on decision-making, career planning, and long-term thinking, discovering the Japanese concept of *ikigai* – the intersection of what you’re good at, what you enjoy, what the world needs, and what you’re paid to do.
His interest in aerospace engineering was sparked by a company utilizing magnetic systems for launching and recovering small satellites. He transferred to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach campus to study aerospace engineering. Caradine proactively attended industry events, including satellite conferences at Kennedy Space Center and gatherings in Salt Lake City, to learn as much as possible. He consistently engaged with NASA representatives at career fairs, learning about the Pathways program, which offers undergraduate and graduate students positions with the potential for full-time employment.
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