If you are just starting your career in the aerospace industry, it's a good idea to join a professional organization to stay current with the latest technical and business developments in this dynamic field. In my opinion, a membership in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) offers you a great investment in your aerospace career. (Even though the name "American" is in their name, it doesn't mean the AIAA ignores the rest of the world. It's just that they were founded and are based in the U.S., which has the largest aerospace industry of any country.) Some of the benefits to membership include a subscription to "Aerospace America", a well-written magazine that covers everything from aerospace policy issues, to history, to upcoming conferences. AIAA also provides, through their web site, access to years of technical reports and papers, plus some good info for students or others considering a career in aerospace. One the biggest tasks they undertake is to conduct dozens of technical conferences every year where you can learn about the most recent advancements in aerospace. I've attended numerous AIAA conferences, and I've always been impressed with the professional manner in which they are organized and run, not to mention the large selection of high quality technical papers that are presented.  The conferences are also a great place to network with fellow engineers representing not only private industry (small and large), but also various government organizations.

Besides disseminating the latest information on aerospace technical matters, the AIAA also plays a major role in promoting the aerospace industry to government and the public. Even though promotion of the industry is one of their major tasks, I appreciate that they aren't afraid to raise controversial issues for discussion in areas where we as an industry could do a better job. (One such issue confronting aerospace right now is how global environmental concerns are going to affect all sectors of the industry.) I joined while still in college (they have an inexpensive student membership), and I've been a continuous  member for more than 30 years, so I don't hesitate to recommend checking out all the AIAA has to offer. Though there are some other very good professional organizations out there, such as the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), none of them offers quality specialized coverage of the aerospace business like the AIAA.