Trade Shows
Why should you attend?
By Barb Zuehlke
Trade shows offer a platform for professional development. They offer a forum for seeing what new products and technologies are available, networking with others in the industry, and attending seminars to keep up with training and recertification. And all at one convenient location.
New products and technologies
How do you hear about new products and practices that could make your job easier? Trade publications, such as Aircraft Maintenance Technology,
are one way. Trade shows allow you to actually see the product or technology in use, talk to company representatives on how a product performs, and hold a new tool in your hand to see how it feels.
"I attend trade shows in order to find goods and services that could benefit our clients," Joe Hertzler, president of AVTRAK, says, "and to present to others the goods and services that we offer."
Networking
You may talk to people on the phone or email them, now you have the opportunity to meet them in person. This could come in handy when you need a favor or just need to have a question answered quickly.
According to Fred Workley, president of Workley Aircraft and Maintenance Inc., "Trade shows are a quick and easy way to see people that you may talk to at other times of the year but sometimes seldom see face to face. The other thing is to see what is going on in the marketplace."
"A trade show is a great place to get a feel for the current movement of the industry," says Hertzler. "I attend shows to participate in lobbying efforts sanctioned by the committees that I participate on." For Brandon Battles of Conklin & de Decker, shows allow him to get a pulse of the industry quickly and "interact with folks with similar interests."
Training
Whether to keep up with recurrency training, strengthen your core competencies,
or learn something new, trade shows feature training opportunities. Seminars and technical sessions are taught by industry experts. Web sites often list the topics so you can make travel plans to coincide with sessions you want to attend.
With trade shows, you can keep pace with technology, make advancements in your career, expand your knowledge base, make better decisions, and save money for your company. The staff of AMT hopes to see you at the next aviation trade show.
