James Hargest College was where it all started for him, the school having provided him with the resources to fuel his passion for engineering, Mr Beck said.
During the visit one 10-year-old got to meet and have a photo taken with his hero
Waihopai School pupil Noah Hackett (10) had worked on a project last month, the theme of which was "inspiring leaders".
Having chosen Mr Beck, he said it was exciting to meet him, and what pleased him most about him was that he had not gone to university.
Pupils came from around Southland to hear Mr Beck speak back on his old stamping ground.
"It's funny standing here because I remembered this floor when I walked in. I probably wasn't a very academic child, but I did count every single one of these square pieces of wood in the floor," Mr Beck said.
His advice to the pupils was "don't get a real job - just make sure you have a mission in life".
Rocket Lab was founded in 2007 and has launched 40 satellites. Mr Beck said it was one of only two private companies to have put spacecraft into orbit.
He said he was impressed by the calibre of the pupils' questions, which included his thoughts on flat Earth theorists and aliens, how Rocket Lab worked around space traffic, the biggest security threats it faced and the kind of jobs available.
