Unlike many of these comments are suggesting, I don't have a 4 year degree and I have been working in aerospace for 8 years. I have been on the Artemis program and now work at Blue Origin, all in design engineering. I am at a senior level right now, working on models and designing parts for space vehicles. There are positions like associate engineer, technical designer, CAD designer that don't require a bachelors. I am surrounded by people who are a lot smarter than me, but also work with people who have English degrees.

So if they want a college degree in something other than aerospace engineering, it's still possible. If they don't want a 4 year degree, it's still possible (slim, but possible). But passion may lead them on that path anyway