Advice Needed: Full-Time Engineer I Offer vs. LDP

Hey everyone,

I’d appreciate some perspective from people in the industry.

I interned last summer at a major aerospace and defense company and accepted a full-time Engineer I offer to return after graduation. I really liked my experience there - the work was solid, and my manager was a great mentor.

Now, I’ve been offered a spot in a Leadership Development Program (LDP) at another large (and rival) A&D company which is hard to pass up.

My hesitation is twofold: I don’t want to burn bridges with the first company or disappoint my former team, and I genuinely liked the people and work environment. At the same time, the more I think about it, the more I realize I might not want to stay in a purely technical role long-term and the LDP could open more doors in that direction.

Has anyone faced a similar choice between a stable role and a program with broader development potential? How did you weigh the long-term tradeoffs? And realistically, how damaging (and risky) would it be if I were to renege on the first offer, particularly given the current job climate?

Thanks in advance for any advice.