Kenneth,
In this day and age of technology, there are ways of enhancing hearing for a student who is hearing impaired, and ways of monitoring sound through visual means as well. I am not suggesting that "audio engineer" may not, in fact, be unrealistic. But it is the student who should decide that, based on what you tell him/her about the field, not based on what you tell them about your view of their chances.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
